Department for Transport

Aviation: Security

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent changes have been implemented on internal UK flight security checks; and what plans he has to change those security checks in the future.

Mr John Hayes: Flights departing from UK airports fall under the same EU and UK aviation security regulation, regardless of whether they are to a domestic or international destination. We keep our aviation security measures under constant review.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to remove or reduce the fee incurred when paying vehicle excise duty via credit card.

Andrew Jones: The fee charged when paying vehicle excise duty (VED) by credit card is to meet the costs of processing credit card payments. The fee is provided for in the Road Vehicles (Payment of Duty by Credit Card) (Prescribed Fee) Regulations 2005. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) must comply with HM Treasury’s “Managing Public Money” guidance and recover costs from those who use its services. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) regularly reviews all the fees and charges it makes for the services it provides, including the fee incurred when paying vehicle excise duty (VED) using a credit card. Paying VED using a debit card is free of charge. Customers can also pay for VED by cash, cheque or debit card at a Post Office® and direct debit is now offered as an additional way for people to pay their VED.

Roads: North of England

William Wragg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has for road investment in the north of England.

Mr John Hayes: This Government is committing a total of £15.2 billion in the enhancement and long-term maintenance of the Strategic Road Network between 2015/16 and 2020/21 including 127 major schemes. Of these there are 42 schemes for the North of England with a value of £2.9 billion investment. On the local road network, we have been providing significant investment for roads in the North. This includes eight schemes completed including the Crewe Green Link Road, five under construction including the Heysham-M6 Link Road and the Mersey Gateway Bridge, as well as a further five which are under development. In addition we are currently considering further bids for development funding for large schemes on the local network, including the A6 to M60 Relief Road Scheme. These bids are currently being assessed and the successful schemes will be announced in the autumn.

Network Rail: Standards

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of Network Rail's administrative performance in providing weekly operating and signalling notices to train drivers and other rail staff.

Paul Maynard: No such assessment has been made of this operational matter. The publication of the Weekly Operating Notice is for Network Rail and the train and freight companies to manage.

Agility Trains: Contracts

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much compensation his Department is liable for in its contract with Agility Trains in the event that the Inter City Express (IEP) fleet cannot be introduced in line with the contracted schedule for (a) delivery and (b) operation of new IEP trains on the (i) Great Western and (ii) East Coast mainlines.

Paul Maynard: The contract for IEP sets out the process for calculating any liquidated damages the Secretary of State would be liable to pay to Agility Trains in the event that the trains cannot be introduced in line with the contracted schedule for delivery and operation. This would be calculated as a function of the daily Set Availability Payment forgone at that time. The precise amount would remain commercially confidential.

British Transport Police: Wales

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether British Transport Police officers based in Wales will continue to be accountable to his Department after the devolution of the rail franchise to the Welsh Assembly.

Paul Maynard: The British Transport Police Authority, which oversees the British Transport Police, includes a member who has knowledge of the interests of persons in Wales and who is appointed following consultation with the National Assembly for Wales. There are no plans to change these accountability arrangements insofar as they relate to policing of the railways in Wales.

Rescue Services: Voluntary Work

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many volunteer coastguards were recruited by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in each year since 2010-11.

Mr John Hayes: There is no central national record of the enrolment of volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers as enrolment is conducted locally at the 340 Coastguard Rescue Teams in the UK, as the need arises. To provide the information in the format you have requested would be at disproportionate cost to the taxpayer.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Staff

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many coastguards were employed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in each year since 2010-11.

Mr John Hayes: The number of Coastguards employed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in each year since 2010/11 is as follows: 2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/152015/162016/17517491469418386416424 When interpreting the above numbers, it is important to note that the new HM Coastguard structure enables the National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) and nine Coastguard Operation Centres (CGOC) to coordinate any incident around the UK coast. Workload and incidents continue to managed locally but all Coastguard Centres now have a national support network available to them during busy periods. These arrangements are most effectively deployed from a smaller national footprint.

Rescue Services

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate has been made of the (a) coastguard and (b) lifeguard capacity on UK (i) beaches and (ii) coastal waters.

Mr John Hayes: Her Majesty’s Coastguard’s Volunteer Coastguard Rescue Teams are appropriately trained and so can be deployed for any incident on beaches or at the coast. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency continually monitors the local provision of this capability. Safety at public beaches, and specifically the provision of lifeguarding services, is generally the responsibility of the local authority, who carry out risk assessments to determine appropriate safety measures.

Railways: Franchises

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to his Department was of each re-tendering exercise held for franchises for (a) long distance and (b) regional passenger rail services in each year since 2005-06.

Paul Maynard: Prior to the re-launch of the Franchising Programme in spring 2013, the costs of different franchising projects were not individually recorded. The cost of each re-franchising project since the re-launch is as follows: FranchiseCost (£M)NotesEssex Thameside4.8151Thameslink, Southern & Great Northern7.288 East Coast8.4292Northern8.668 (to date)3TransPennine Express7.577 (to date)3East Anglia7.413 (to date)3 These figures include adviser costs (financial, technical and legal advisers), pay costs for the project team, “non-pay” costs (such as bidder day seminars, public consultations, etc), and VAT where applicable, for the duration of the procurements. The (admin) sums invested in competent staff and advisors are dwarfed by the (Resource) SPRS benefits to the Department – £200 for every pound spent.  Notes NOTE 1: The Essex Thameside figure represents the work done after the relaunch of the Franchising Programme. There was a significant amount of work completed prior to the pausing of the programme in autumn 2012 which is not included here. NOTE 2: The costs for the refranchising of the Intercity East Coast Franchise were not charged to the public purse, but were covered by the Performance Bond that National Express put forward following its default of the previous East Coast contract. NOTE 3: The figures for Northern, TransPennine Express (TPE) and East Anglia are the latest figures (as at the end of August 2016). East Anglia is still a ‘live’ project. Whilst Northern and TPE have concluded, there are still some residual costs that may affect the final figures.

Railways: West Midlands

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether bidders for the next West Midlands regional rail franchise will be able to remove seats from rolling stock in order to increase passenger carrying capacity; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Maynard: The Invitation to Tender for the West Midlands franchise allows bidders to propose alternative layouts which could include fewer seats and more standing space for services which operate on the 'Cross-City' line in Birmingham. This option is included in response to the West Midlands franchise consultation, where there was a particularly strong response from respondents that use this line about changing the current 3+2 seating arrangement to provide wider aisles and more spacious and comfortable standing areas. However, if bidders do propose changes to the seating layouts, they would need to meet certain criteria for this to be permissible.

West Coast Railway Line: West Midlands

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to increase passenger carrying capacity on Inter City West Coast services between cities in the West Midlands.

Paul Maynard: We expect potential bidders for the next Inter City West Coast (ICWC) franchise to plan their train services to meet the needs of their passengers and the wider network. To make sure the Department’s specification best reflects the needs of the passengers and stakeholders of the franchise a public consultation on the franchise was run from 10 May to 2 August this year. This sought the public’s and stakeholders’ views and priorities on a number of areas of the franchise specification. The consultation acknowledged that capacity for additional train services on the West Coast Mainline is limited and sought views on how the franchise could cater for growth. The responses will help inform us about what we will ask for in the tender documents from the future franchise operator and will be provided to bidders for the franchise to inform their responses. We are now reviewing and analysing the consultation responses and will publish a summary in due course.

Railway Stations: Finance

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with train operating companies on the New Stations Fund launched on 26 August 2016.

Paul Maynard: Ministers have held no discussions with the Train Operating Companies since the launch of the fund and do not expect to do so before the closing date of 25 November 2016.

Railways: Accidents

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many platform train interface incidents that were reported on the national rail network in each year since 2010 involved driver-only operated passenger services.

Paul Maynard: Currently, the method of train dispatch for incidents at the platform train interface is not recorded so the data requested is not available. However, a new Safety Management Information System is being introduced in December 2016, which is designed to enable the industry to dig deeper into the trends behind incidents.

Railways: Franchises

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether risk adjustments have been made to the rail passenger franchises currently out to tender for services on the (a) South Western, (b) West Midlands and (c) East Anglia lines since 23 June 2016; and if he will provide details of any such adjustments in each case.

Paul Maynard: The Department issued the Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the West Midlands franchise on 30 August 2016, and bidders have until 29 November 2016 to submit their bids. The Department intends to follow the risk adjustment process as detailed in the published ITT once bids have been received. The Department is evaluating bids for the South Western rail franchise and intends to follow the risk adjustment process as detailed in Appendix 3 to the Invitation to Tender, published on the Department’s website. The East Anglia franchise competition concluded on 23 August, when the Department signed the Franchise Agreement with Abellio East Anglia. The Department followed the risk adjustment process detailed in the Invitation to Tender, published on the Department’s website. The Department does not communicate the detail of Risk Adjustments, as these relate to cost and revenue details of the leading bid, which are commercially sensitive.

Network Rail: Cardiff

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce the dates for the (a) planned commissioning, (b) delivery of contracted functionality and (c) installation of the first deployment traffic management system for the Rail Operating Centre at Cardiff.

Paul Maynard: These dates will not be announced by the Department for Transport. Network Rail is reviewing the options available for deployment of Traffic Management in Wales and will communicate the decision once it has been made.

Heathrow Airport: Noise

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of noise from Heathrow Airport on people living in the Woking constituency; and if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of an increase in such noise as a result of the construction of a third runway.

Mr John Hayes: The Airports Commission shortlisted three airport expansion schemes, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. The Government accepted the Commission’s shortlist in December 2015 and is considering all of the evidence, including on noise, very carefully before reaching a view on its preferred scheme.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Rented Housing

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many residential properties purchased ahead of the construction of High Speed 2 are being let; and what estimate his Department has made of the total amount it will receive in rent payments from those properties.

Andrew Jones: As of 30th September 2016, the Department has purchased a total of 483 properties. The Departments estimate of income from the HS2 Portfolio is circa £7.5m per annum.

Night Flying

Tom Tugendhat: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Civil Aviation Authority's review of impact of environmental landing charges published in 2013, if he will exercise his powers under the Civil Aviation Act 1982, Section 78, to direct airports to review their charges for night flights.

Mr John Hayes: The Government has no current plans to use these powers. We have asked the Civil Aviation Authority to update its 2013 review of the impact of environmental landing charges at UK airports to consider the impact of changes since that date.

Department for Transport: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of his Department.

Mr John Hayes: The Department does not directly employ any cleaning staff on its Westminster estate. All cleaning staff are employed and managed under outsourced estates and facilities contracts. Information on nationality in such situations is not held by the Department.

Department for Transport: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of staff on the payroll of his Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Mr John Hayes: Many staff self-declare their nationality on the staff system. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks and copies of this evidence are held on file for the duration of the person’s employment and for a further two years after they cease working for the department.

A1: Pedestrian Crossings

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many crossings across traffic are planned to be closed on the A1 (a) southbound and (b) northbound.

Mr John Hayes: The current major works on the A1 from Leeming to Barton in North Yorkshire will result in six permanent gap closures. These gaps will be accessed via a new local road and alternative routes alongside the new motorway for the benefit of the local community. Access to the new motorway will be via a new junction at Catterick and an improved junction at Scotch Corner. Over the next two months three, maintenance schemes will require temporary gap closures on the A1 at Highfields roundabout, near Berwick; between Lane Head to Old Swarland in Northumberland; and at Buckden (Brampton Rail Bridge) in Cambridgeshire. The affected gaps on the A1 will be re-opened on completion of their respective maintenance works.

Railways: Fares

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 45695, on railways: fares, for what reason his Department uses the Retail Price Index as an index for inflation; and if he will consider using a different index for inflation.

Paul Maynard: The use of the Retail Price Index (RPI) is consistent with the general indexation approach adopted across the rail industry. The Office of Rail and Road uses RPI as the index for Network Rail’s revenues e.g. Track Access Charges. RPI is used widely across Government, including for index linked bonds, vehicle exercise duty, alcohol and tobacco duties, air passenger duty and climate change levies. It is worth noting that the July 2016 figures for RPI (published on 14 September 2016) and average weekly earnings growth stood at 1.9% and 2.3%, respectively. Each July’s RPI figure is used to set regulated rail fares from January 2nd the following year. On this basis average earnings continue to remain ahead of allowable regulated rail fares increases.

Railways: Finance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 45695, what proportion of rail fares paid by passengers are reinvested in the railways by Network Rail.

Paul Maynard: The Office of Road & Rail calculates that 97 pence in every pound raised from passenger journeys is spent on running or improving the railway by Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies. Approximately 26 pence in every pound is reinvested through capital enhancements and renewals.[1] [1] http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/21039/gb-rail-industry-financial-information-2014-15.pdf

Department for Transport: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of the staff employed by his Department are non-UK nationals.

Mr John Hayes: Many staff self-declare their nationality on the staff system. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks and copies of this evidence are held on file for the duration of the person’s employment and for a further two years after they cease working for the department.

Air Routes: USA

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations the Government has made to the US Department of Transportation on progress made on authorising Norwegian Air UK Ltd services from Gatwick and other British airports to the US, as permitted by the EU-US Air Transport Agreement in December 2015.

Mr John Hayes: The Government made a formal representation on this issue to the US Department of Transportation on 11 February 2016, which is recorded in the US DoT docket DOT-OST-2015-0261. Ministers and officials continue to make representations on this matter as and when opportunities arise.

Railways: Franchises

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will assess the potential merits of reforming the rail franchising system by reinstating sole ownership and maintenance of infrastructure and trains.

Paul Maynard: We have high passenger satisfaction and one of the safest railways for passengers of any major network in Europe. At the heart of this success lies a diverse range of commercial passenger and freight operators working in partnership with Government and industry suppliers. With passenger numbers having more than doubled since privatisation, we want to deliver further improvements including a more joined-up approach to running the trains and tracks, and to make things work better for the public.

Southeastern: Rolling Stock

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that Southeastern has access to sufficient rolling stock to enable it to alleviate capacity pressures across its London metro network.

Paul Maynard: The Department is exploring the provision of additional rolling stock to Southeastern, in order to lengthen services and increase capacity for passengers. This requires extensive commercial negotiations with Southeastern. We are continuing to work with Southeastern to develop the business case, and an announcement will be made in due course.

European Railway Agency

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Railways Agency after the UK leaves the EU.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Maritime Safety Agency after the UK leaves the EU.

Andrew Jones: The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for our future relationship with agencies such as the European Railways Agency and the European Maritime Safety Agency. Until we leave, EU law still applies, and current arrangements will continue.

Heathrow Airport: Contamination

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the (a) time and (b) cost of clearing all contaminated material on the grounds where Heathrow plans to build a third runway.

Mr John Hayes: The Airports Commission shortlisted three airport expansion schemes, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. The Airports Commission considered site enabling works as a part of their cost and commercial analysis and the Government is considering all of the evidence before reaching a view on its preferred scheme. The Government accepted the Commission’s shortlist in December 2015 and outlined that it will take forward a draft Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) to deliver new airport capacity. The NPS will be supported by an Appraisal of Sustainability which will examine the economic, social and environmental impacts of the new runway proposals. This will include an assessment of the impacts on soil.

Air Routes: China

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for negotiations on the bilateral agreement regulating flights between the UK and the People's Republic of China.

Mr John Hayes: Bilateral UK/China air services negotiations took place in London on 10 and 11 October 2016. An agreement was signed on behalf of the UK by the Minister for Aviation, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon. This agreement significantly increases the traffic rights available to airlines from both countries and enables airlines to operate more services to a wider range of destinations in each country.

Large Goods Vehicles: Driver Information Systems

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with manufacturers of satellite navigation devices on steps that could be taken to ensure that HGVs are not inappropriately directed into narrow residential streets.

Andrew Jones: In the last Parliament the Department brought together satnav manufacturers, mapping companies, local authorities and other industry organisations in a Satnav Summit. We continue to work with these parties to improve the information satnavs provide to road users, and enable better co‑operation and information-sharing between local highway authorities and the industry, through joint working. Earlier this year Highways England published a Traffic Information Strategy setting out how they will work with local highway authorities to integrate journey planning across the network, improve communication with road users and make traffic data and information available to third parties to enable these companies to develop products and services for customers. Furthermore, the Department is investing £3 million to create a national digital road map, developed by Ordnance Survey and launching this year, which will enable better integration and sharing of data on roads between local authorities and service providers.

London Airports: Channel Tunnel

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of whether the Airports Commission considered the full potential for increased long distance rail passenger and rail freight movement between the UK and mainland Europe through using the full capacity of the Channel tunnel.

Mr John Hayes: The Airports Commission considered and consulted on a wide range of possible options to make best use of the UK’s existing airports and runways, and proposals for adding new airport capacity in the longer-term. It received 52 proposals, including propositions involving better high speed rail provision and use of the Channel Tunnel as an alternative to airport expansion. The Commission concluded that the scope for further rail growth on short-haul European routes is limited by some clear constraints, including rail line and tunnel capacity out of the UK – given that there is only one railway link that connects the UK with continental Europe. The Commission’s assessment was published in its December 2013 Interim Report, which included its conclusion that there was a case for at least one net additional runway in London and the South East by 2030, and a proposed short-list of options. On 14 December 2015, the Government formally announced that it accepted the case for additional runway capacity in the South-East and agreed with the Airports Commission’s shortlist of options.

Railways: Compensation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2016 to Question 46147, what steps he has taken to inform rail passengers of their right from 1 October 2016 to challenge compensation amounts awarded for delays and cancellations where the train operator is at fault; whether his Department has produced any advice to assist passengers on how and when to make such a challenge; what discussions he has had with train operators about publicising the new rights; when the 15 minute threshold for compensation will be introduced; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Maynard: My Department has been working with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), industry and consumer groups to identify actions to improve passenger awareness of their rights to claim compensation in general, including all options available to them. This work takes place in the context of the ORR’s investigation into the Which? super-complaint, published in March. I have approved new National Rail Conditions of Travel from 1 October 2016 to ensure that the conditions, which set out the agreement between passengers and train companies, are consistent with consumers’ rights under the Consumer Rights Act. Transport Focus, the independent transport user watchdog, has produced a guide to passengers’ rights under the Consumer Rights Act.http://d3cez36w5wymxj.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/30143907/Consumer-Rights-Act-2015-Transport-Focus-briefing-September-2016.pdf As announced on 13 October 2016, passengers will soon be able to claim compensation if their train is more than 15 minutes late under an improved compensation scheme. The new scheme will be introduced within months on Govia Thameslink Railway services, including Southern. All franchise competitions let by the Department will include requirements to introduce this scheme and the Department will explore opportunities to roll this out for all DfT franchises during this Parliament.

European Aviation Safety Agency

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is the Government's policy to negotiate to continue participation in the European Aviation Safety Authority after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr John Hayes: The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for the continued participation in the European Aviation Safety Agency System. Until we leave, EU law still applies, so EU rules in this area will continue to apply in the UK, alongside national rules.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total budget is of the team of writers being hired by his Department to help write the story of High Speed 2 from inception to present day.

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to ensure that his Department's officials being recruited to help write the story of High Speed 2 from inception to the present day meet with all hon. Members representing parliamentary constituencies along the route.

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the job vacancy notice DFT/649/16/DFTC, published by his Department in October 2016, how his Department expects the report and slide pack which form part of the project to write the story of High Speed 2 from inception to the present day to be used; and who his Department expects to use that report and slide pack.

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the job vacancy notice DFT/649/16/DFTC, published by his Department in October 2016, who will be responsible for editing the report and slide pack which form part of the project to write the story of High Speed 2 from inception to the present day.

Andrew Jones: It is important that we do ensure good documentation of major projects across government to learn from the past and ensure knowledge is shared easily. I will consider in due course what is the right way to do this but the advertised recruitment is not going ahead.

Taxis: Licensing

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to respond to the recommendations of the Law Commission Report on taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, published in May 2014; and whether it plans to take steps to permit more local authority cross-border use of such vehicles.

Andrew Jones: The Government is currently considering all the recommendations in the Law Commission’s report on taxi and private hire regulation in England and Wales and will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce its intentions once this scrutiny is completed. The Government has no current plans to amend legislation in respect of cross-border working. The Deregulation Act 2015 enables licensed operators in England and Wales to subcontract bookings to licensed operators in another district, any private hire vehicle operator in London or an operator in Scotland. This power was already possible in London through The Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998. This was a recommendation from the Law Commission’s review of taxi and private hire services.

Road Traffic Offences: Mobile Phones

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of people using mobile phones while driving; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones: The government’s recent consultation on bringing in tougher sanctions received near unanimous support for tougher penalties. The Secretary of State for Transport has pledged to bring tougher sanctions in as soon as possible, we expect them to take effect in the first half of 2017. Anyone using a hand-held device while driving will face higher on the spot fines and more points on their driving licence than they do today. The government is also developing a hard-hitting THINK! campaign to tackle this issue, to make it socially unacceptable like drink driving or not wearing a seatbelt.

Civil Aviation Authority: Income

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on funding for the Civil Aviation Authority from its international activities.

Mr John Hayes: The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for the Civil Aviation Authority. Until we leave, EU law still applies, so EU rules will continue to apply in the UK, alongside national rules.

Aviation: EU Law

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he intends to negotiate continued UK participation in the European Open Skies aviation arrangement.

Mr John Hayes: The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for continued access to European Open Skies arrangements.

Minibuses: Procurement

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many minibuses have been delivered under his Department's Community Transport Minibus scheme; and how many such buses are still on order under that scheme.

Andrew Jones: Each Community Transport provider has different users with different needs. To ensure the organisation receives a vehicle that best suits their requirements they have been able to specify the adaptions needed to the vehicle. The number of vehicles awarded under the Fund and the bespoke nature of these has stretched the supply chain and delivery schedule. As of 12 October 2016, 167 minibuses have been delivered and 185 remain on order.

European Aviation Safety Agency

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to certify UK aircraft, their engines and other related products for safety if the United Kingdom departs the European Air Safety Agency after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr John Hayes: The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for the continued participation in the European Aviation Safety Agency system. Until we leave, EU law still applies, and EU regulation in these areas will continue to apply in the UK, alongside national rules.

Public Transport: Disability

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to improve access to public transport for disabled people.

Andrew Jones: The Government recognises how important improving access to public transport is for disabled people and is committed to making transport more inclusive. Since its launch in 2006, the £390m Access for All rail programme (which was further extended with £160m in 2014) has delivered accessible routes at over 150 stations. There are also 68 further projects at various stages of construction or development. We also recognise that positive interactions with bus drivers can make a big difference to disabled people’s experience of taking the bus. We are working with the bus industry and disabled people to design best practice guidance in delivering disability awareness training which, we hope, will help to give bus drivers the skills and knowledge to assist every disabled passenger. The Government tabled an amendment to the Bus Services Bill, proposing to give the Secretary of State powers to make Regulations about the provision of a minimum level of accessible information on local bus services throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The issue is devolved in Northern Ireland. Creation of the powers to introduce the Accessible Information Requirement is still reliant upon the successful passage of the Bus Services Bill through Parliament. The Government intends to publish an Accessibility Action Plan for consultation by the end of the year which will present its ambition for further progress on this important agenda.

Taxis: Disability

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase the number of accessible taxis in the UK.

Andrew Jones: Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) provide a particularly important service for many disabled people, helping them to remain independent and to complete journeys which may not be possible using other forms of transport. I recognise that the availability of wheelchair accessible taxis and PHVs varies across Great Britain. I know too however, that they can sometimes be difficult to access for some ambulant disabled people. As such we encourage local licensing authorities to use their existing powers to ensure that a range of vehicle categories are represented in their taxi and PHV fleets, so that the overall service provided meets the needs of everyone who needs to use it. In Northern Ireland policy on taxi licensing and accessibility is a devolved matter.

Home Office

Migrant Workers: Taxation

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to introduce a levy on companies employing foreign workers below an agreed wage threshold.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Foreign workers in the UK benefit from the same rights under National Minimum Wage legislation as UK workers.In addition, companies sponsoring non-EEA workers to fill vacancies under Tier 2 (General), the skilled work immigration route, must pay a salary of at least £20,800 (rising to £25,000 later this autumn and £30,000 in April 2017) or the appropriate rate for the particular occupation, whichever is higher. For non-EEA workers using the Tier 2 (Intra Company Transfer) route for multi-national companies, the salary minimum is £24,500, rising to £30,000 later this autumn and £41,500 from April 2017.From April 2017, the Government will levy an Immigration Skills Charge on Tier 2 employers of £1,000 per sponsored worker per year. A reduced rate of £364 will apply to small and charitable sponsors. PhD-level roles, intra-company transfer graduate trainees, and graduates switching from the student route will be exempt.

Borders: Coastal Areas

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will assess the potential merits of deploying fishing trawlers to patrol the UK coastline to prevent illegal immigration.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Border Force is actively engaged through partners in the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) with commercial fishing operators. The UK’s commercial fishing operators already form a valuable part of the Project KRAKEN network providing ‘intelligence’ reports based on their assessment of unusual activity, however, they are not specifically tasked with official patrolling.Border security is a priority for this Government. We are committed to countering threats to the UK coastline using an intelligence-led approach and through working with the wider law enforcement community. Border Force has long-standing working relationships and intelligence-sharing practices in place, and is increasing interaction with key partners as well as undertaking joint operations in order to disrupt organised criminal gangs looking to facilitate illegal entry into the UK.Border Force and operational partners are conducting activity on a number of fronts to prevent migrants from entering the UK via clandestine and illegal means, strengthening the coordination of maritime security assets so that maximum coverage at sea is delivered. Border Force currently operates three cutters in UK territorial waters at any given time.The cutters form part of a layered approach to coastal defence, including patrols comprising additional law enforcement vessels, on-shore resources and intelligence and surveillance. Border Force has invested in additional coastal patrol vessels (CPV) to complement the work being done by our cutters to combat attempts to smuggle migrants and illicit goods into the UK illegally.

Africa: Politics and Government

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which African countries her Department regards as unsafe to return political opposition supporters to.

Mr Robert Goodwill: In accordance with our international obligations, the UK is required to consider asylum and human rights applications carefully on their individual merits. The Government takes its international responsibilities seriously and will grant protection to those in genuine need.Each individual assessment of an asylum claim is made against the background of the latest available country of origin information and any relevant caselaw. The country of origin information is based on evidence taken from a range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.The Home Office’s country of origin information, used in the asylum decision making process, is published on the gov.uk website. It is kept under constant review and updated periodically.

Albania: Asylum

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the reasons for unaccompanied children from Albania seeking to purchase tickets to fly to the UK in order to claim asylum.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Albanians require a visa to travel to the UK and are not allowed to board the plane without one. We do not issue visas for the purpose of claiming asylum in the UK. Unaccompanied children who nonetheless manage to reach the UK, including those from Albania, claim asylum for a variety of reasons. Each case is considered on its individual merits in accordance with our international obligations and protection is granted where it is needed.

Asylum: Homosexuality

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have applied for asylum on the basis of sexual orientation; how many of these claims have been unsuccessful; on what grounds those unsuccessful applications were refused in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Home Office is currently undertaking a process to quality assure information on its Case Information Database relating to sexuality based asylum claims.Until this exercise has concluded it is not possible to provide an accurate picture of the number of asylum claims based solely, or partly on sexuality.

Passports

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many UK passports have been revoked in each of the last five years.

Mr Robert Goodwill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 12 May to question UIN 36668 by my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (James Brokenshire).

Human Trafficking: Undocumented Migrants

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what type of reception institution suspected people traffickers and illegal migrants who are intercepted by Border Force or other UK government bodies are taken to.

Mr Robert Goodwill: In all cases where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a person of trafficking, they would be arrested and processed in accordance with the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 ;at sea, Customs and Excise Management Act 1979; in Scotland Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995.Border Force, along with operational partners, carries out a range of activity to prevent migrants from entering the UK through clandestine and illegal means.Border Force has specific policy, guidance, operating procedures and referral mechanisms to other government departments in order to carry out the appropriate action when an illegal migrant is encountered at a port or other location. Illegal migrants who are intercepted at the Border are processed in accordance with their individual circumstances and where appropriate detained in accommodation based on these circumstances.

Forced Labour

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department offers to victims of labour exploitation; and what steps her Department is taking against individuals and businesses involved in such exploitation.

Sarah Newton: The Home Office sponsors the National Referral Mechanism to provide support to victims of modern slavery offences, whilst support for workers who have experienced exploitative treatment from employers and employment agencies is available from other enforcement authorities across Government, including the HMRC national minimum wage team, the BEIS Employment Agency Standards' Inspectorate and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority. All potential adult victims of Modern Slavery, including those who suffer labour exploitation, are able to access a tailored and specialised package of care and support through the £40m government-funded Salvation Army victim care contract.The Modern Slavery Act 2015 consolidated and strengthened modern slavery offences and introduced a world-leading provision which requires all commercial organisations operating in the UK with a turnover above £36m to set out what steps they are taking to prevent modern slavery in their business and supply chains. This transparency will drive improvements in tackling modern slavery throughout the business community.The Immigration Act 2016 established the Director of Labour Market Enforcement to provide closer integration between the authorities responsible for enforcing labour market protections and a stronger intelligence capability, reformed the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority with new powers to investigate labour market offences wherever they occur in the economy, and stronger sanctions for non-compliant businesses. The Immigration Act 2016 also includes new powers to tackle employers of migrants working illegally on the UK.

Asylum: Children

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied child refugees are in the process of seeking asylum to be reunited with family members who are already in the UK, under the terms of the Immigration Act 2016.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Between 12 May and 1 October 2016 over 50 children who meet the criteria in Section 67 of the Immigration Act were accepted for transfer. Over 35 have already been transferred to the UK and many more are in train.The Government can only give figures for those who have been accepted for transfer to the UK; the number of unaccompanied child refugees in the process of seeking asylum in other Member States is a matter for that Member State.

Asylum: Children

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children who have applied in France for asylum in the UK have been successful in their application in the last three years.

Mr Robert Goodwill: It is not possible for an individual to apply for asylum in the UK from France. If an asylum claim is made in France and the French Government consider that the UK is responsible for examining that asylum claim under the Dublin Regulation, a transfer request is made, which the UK subsequently either accepts or rejects. If the transfer request is accepted, the individual is transferred to the UK where their asylum claim is considered.Before the beginning of the year very few transfers of children were made from France to the UK. However, following a concerted effort to improve the functioning of Dublin by the UK and French authorities, between 1 January and 1 October 2016 over 80 children have been accepted for transfer from France to the UK.

Immigration Controls

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 30 September 2016 to Question 46253, what steps her Department has taken via (a) broadcast media, (b) UK Visas and Immigration, and (c) agencies of her Department to advise employers of their responsibilities under a points-based immigration system on employing non-EU nationals in the UK; and what the cost of that advice was to the public purse in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Comprehensive guidance for employers is published on the gov.uk website, and we regularly engage with employers and trade bodies, at no additional cost to routine business.

Heroin

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with police forces and police and crime commissioners on heroin distributed in their areas in line with her Department's policy set out on page 31 of the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, published by her predecessor in March 2016.

Brandon Lewis: The Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, which highlighted the value of supervised injectable diamorphine/heroin in reducing crime, was launched by Home Office Ministers at the International Crime and Policing Conference on 23 March whose attendance included a large number of representatives from the criminal justice system. Police and Crime Commissioners and police forces wishing to explore issues relating to heroin assisted treatment are encouraged to engage with the relevant local authorities which commission drug and alcohol treatment in their areas.

Home Office: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of the staff employed by her Department are non-UK nationals.

Sarah Newton: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules.Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Asylum: Children

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government has received any legal challenge regarding delayed acceptance of child refugees in Calais with a legal right to residence in the UK.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The UK has received a number of legal challenges regarding alleged delays in accepting asylum seeking children in Calais who assert that they have a legal right to residence in the UK.A number of these challenges include cases where the child is yet to seek asylum in France. We are clear that individuals must claim asylum before the UK can consider a transfer request. The recent case of ZAT demonstrates that due process must be followed.We are working to improve the operation of the Dublin Regulation and transfer requests are now generally processed within 10 days.

Home Office: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of staff on the payroll of her Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Sarah Newton: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules.Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Home Office: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of her Department.

Sarah Newton: The Home Office does not employ cleaning staff. The cleaning of the Home Office estate is outsourced. The contract requires that all contracted staff have undergone the necessary pre-employment checks and have the right to work in the UK.

Human Trafficking

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to make the punishment of people traffickers more severe to increase its deterrent effect.

Sarah Newton: The Modern Slavery Act 2015 increased the maximum sentence for modern slavery offences from 14 years to life imprisonment. The Act also gave law enforcement agencies the power to seize traffickers’ assets and introduced risk and prevention orders which restrict the activities of traffickers outside prison if they are judged to pose a serious threat.Earlier this year, the Government commissioned the barrister Caroline Haughey to carry out an independent review of the operation of the criminal justice provisions in the Modern Slavery Act. Ms Haughey found that the Act had set an international benchmark to which other jurisdictions aspire, and recommended that we do more to ensure that law enforcement agencies use the Act to full effect.The Government agrees and the Prime Minister recently announced that she will be chairing a modern slavery taskforce to ensure that we leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators of this vile crime to justice.

Bail

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people received pre-charge bail conditions that (a) withheld their travel documents and (b) restricted their movement in each year since 2010; and how many people breached those pre-charge bail conditions.

Brandon Lewis: The information requested is not held centrally.

Firearms: Crime

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of gun crime have been recorded in (a) the UK, (b) London and (c) Hornsey and Wood Green constituency in each of the last five years.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office collects information on offences recorded by the police involving firearms at the police force area level. This is published by the Office for National Statistics in their Focus on Violent Crime and Sexual Offences statistical bulletins. Offences involving firearms include any notifiable offence recorded by the police where a firearm has been fired, used as a blunt instrument or been used as a threat. Figures for London and England and Wales are given in the table. Data are not available at a lower geographical level than police force area. Table: Firearm offences (excluding air weapons) for London and England and Wales, 2010/11 to 2014/151,2  England and Wales2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/15  London32,7482,4821,9611,5961,654ENGLAND AND WALES7,0406,0225,1584,8564,9121. Source: Police recorded crime, Home Office2. Police recorded crime data are not designated as National Statistics  3. London includes City of London and Metropolitan Police  Figures for 2015/16 are due to be published in February 2017 in the ONS publication Focus on Violent Crime and Sexual Offences Year Ending March 2016.Information on offences involving firearms in Scotland and Northern Ireland are published by the Scottish Government and Police Service of Northern Ireland respectively.

Child Sexual Abuse Independent Panel Inquiry

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to the public purse has been of all (a) salaries, (b) transport, (c) hotel stays, (d) redundancy payments, (e) pension entitlements and (f) all other associated costs since the announcement of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Sarah Newton: On 12 March 2015 the former Home Secretary established the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse under the Inquiries Act 2005.Its remit is to look at the extent to which state and non-state bodies have failed in their duty to protect children from sexual abuse. The Inquiry is independent of the Government and is responsible for the management of its own budget.

Visas: Overseas Students

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the criteria for inclusion in the limited post-study work visa pilot were; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Holding answer received on 17 October 2016



The Tier 4 visa pilot has been introduced to test the benefits of a differentiated approach within the education sector on the basis of compliance with immigration sponsorship requirements.The four universities chosen to participate in the Tier 4 visa pilot, namely the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Bath and Imperial College London, were chosen on the basis of their consistently low visa refusal rates.

Immigration Controls: Channel Ferries

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 July 2016 to Question 42843, whether all necessary checks were completed on the departure of the ferry Barfleur from Cherbourg to Poole.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Holding answer received on 17 October 2016



Any checks on the Barfleur when it departs from Cherbourg is the responsibility of the French authorities. We reaffirm that 100% of necessary checks were completed on the Barfleur on arrival into Poole on the 23rd June.

Asylum: Children

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied children the UK has accepted from the Jungle near Calais; and what estimate the Government has made of the number of such children the UK will take as a consequence of the Dubs amendment.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Between 1 January and 1 October 2016 over 80 children from France were accepted for transfer under the Dublin Regulation on the basis of close family links, of which nearly all have arrived in the UK.On 10 October, the Home Secretary met with French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve to discuss a range of issues, including the proposed clearance of the camp in Calais.The UK Government has made clear its commitment to transfer from Europe to the UK unaccompanied refugee children under the 2016 Immigration Act, and ensure those with close links to the UK are brought here using the Dublin Regulation, where it is in their best interests. Home Office teams are being deployed to France over the coming weeks to work with the French authorities to speed up the identification and transfer of eligible cases. We continue to work with the French authorities to establish the number of children who may be eligible.

Asylum: Housing

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which contractors have been sanctioned for breaching contractual obligations in relation to accommodation for asylum seekers in (a) Birmingham, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England in the last two years; when each such contractor was sanctioned; and what each sanction so applied was.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Holding answer received on 17 October 2016



The COMPASS contracts include Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for monitoring and measuring performance against required standards.If a breach of the contractual obligations in relation to accommodation is identified then the Provider has a set timescale in which to rectify the breach. Should this not be rectified within that timescale then a KPI failure is recorded and may result in the application of a Service Credit. A ‘Service Credit’ is a rebate / money deducted from the Providers monthly invoice.There were no service credits recovered from providers of the COMPASS accommodation in a) Birmingham, b) the West Midlands and c) England in the last two years, in relation to accommodation standards.

Asylum: Vetting

Anne McLaughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 1.2.3.2 of Schedule 2 to the Compass contract for the accommodation of asylum seekers, if she will publish a copy of the contractor's arrangements for ensuring that its staff, volunteers and sub-contractors who are likely to have direct contact with service users are subject to criminal records bureau and disclose checks prior to any such contracts for each such contractor in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Home Office: EU Nationals

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign-born EU nationals are employed by her Department and its agencies.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Domestic Violence and Stalking

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent from the public purse on (a) police officers and (b) Crown Prosecution Service training in respect of (i) stalking and (ii) coercive control offences in each of the last three years.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her oral contribution of 10 October 2016, Official Report, column 62, how an EU citizen demonstrates their having lived in the UK for five or more years; how citizenship is claimed after six years; which Department will be responsible for confirming the right to (a) remain and (b) citizenship; what certification of these rights will be provided; what estimate she has made of the cost to the applicant of that process; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Renewable Energy: Employment

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential for job creation in renewable energy sectors in the next five years.

Mr Nick Hurd: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 14 October 2016.The correct answer should have been:

The latest figures from the ONS suggest that, in 2014, 238,500 full-time equivalent employees were working directly in the Low Carbon and Renewable Energy sectors in the UK. This figure does not include additional jobs that have been created in the wider renewable energy supply chain.The Low Carbon and Renewable Energy sectors will be at the heart of this Governments Industrial Strategy to support jobs and growth.

Jesse Norman: The latest figures from the ONS suggest that, in 2014, 238,500 full-time equivalent employees were working directly in the Low Carbon and Renewable Energy sectors in the UK. This figure does not include additional jobs that have been created in the wider renewable energy supply chain.The Low Carbon and Renewable Energy sectors will be at the heart of this Governments Industrial Strategy to support jobs and growth.

Sahaviriya Steel Industries UK: Redcar

Anna Turley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the official receiver on the future of the former SSI UK site in Redcar since July 2016.

Mr Nick Hurd: Holding answer received on 10 October 2016



The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is in regular contact with the Official Receiver regarding the continuing safety and security of the former SSI UK site, and are providing regular updates to My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State and other Ministers.

Sahaviriya Steel Industries UK: Redcar

Anna Turley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to negotiate a financial settlement with those banks in Thailand which have a controlling interest in the former SSI UK site to ensure redevelopment in a timely manner for the benefit of the local community.

Mr Nick Hurd: Holding answer received on 10 October 2016



  My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State and I are committed to the future of the Redcar area following the closure of the SSI steelworks. I am pleased that we have recently had the opportunity to discuss this in depth with the hon Member for Redcar and the leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, Sue Jeffrey.

Nuclear Power Stations: China

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with President Xi at the September 2016 G20 meeting on separating the building of the Hualong One reactor at Bradwell from the agreement on Hinkley Point C.

Jesse Norman: My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy did not attend the September 2016 G20 meeting.

Technology: New Businesses

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much (a) grant aid and (b) other financial support was provided to tech start-ups in the UK in the last five years.

Margot James: In the last financial year (2015-16) 27% of Innovate UK’s £547m core budget was spent to support business-led innovation in micro organisations. British Business Bank programmes have provided more than 110 tech Start-ups with investment in excess of £245m during the last 5 years.

Technology: Skilled Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to prevent a brain-drain of UK young tech talent moving to find employment outside the UK.

Joseph Johnson: The UK has a strong history in science, research and innovation, with an eco-system that fosters talent by providing opportunity in both industry and academia. We are committed to ensuring that Britain is the best place in Europe to innovate, patent new ideas and start a business, including tech businesses. Our academic base holds 16% of the world’s most highly cited papers, generated from only 1% of the world population. Innovate UK provides support to innovative businesses to help them develop ideas and recruit and retain tech talent.

Business: Regulation

William Wragg: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to reduce the level of business regulation.

Margot James: The Government is committed to reduce the burden of regulation on business by £10bn over the Parliament through the Business Impact Target. The first report on the Target was published in June and showed that we have so far delivered £885 million of deregulation savings against it.

Carbon Emissions

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if the Government will take into account the atmospheric carbon dioxide level of over 400ppm when deciding on the UK's energy policy.

Mr Nick Hurd: The UK played a leading role in securing the Paris Agreement, which drives international action towards tackling climate change and limiting the global temperature rise to well below 2°C.At home, we remain committed to the UK’s Climate Change Act which requires us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050 on 1990 levels, including emissions from energy.

Small Businesses: Internet

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an estimate of the Do More Online campaign's contribution to the British economy.

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what contribution the Do More Online campaign is making to protect British microbusinesses from cybercrime.

Margot James: The Do More Online campaign was part of the Small Business Digital Capability and a sub set of the Business is Great campaign. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published the following research and evaluation which includes an assessment of the Do More Online campaign.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-capabilities-in-small-and-medium-enterpriseshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/small-business-digital-capability-programme-challenge-fund-evaluation

Conditions of Employment

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department is taking steps to identify businesses that engage in labour exploitation.

Margot James: The Immigration Act 2016 creates a new Director of Labour Market Enforcement. They will be responsible for overseeing and setting priorities for the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, National Minimum Wage enforcement and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority. This will strengthen efforts to identify businesses that engage in labour exploitation. To enable more effective enforcement, we are creating:A new intelligence hub so that enforcement is targeted at areas of risk; andA new regime of Labour Market Enforcement undertakings and orders, backed up by a criminal offence and custodial sentence, to allow us to tackle repeat labour market offenders and rogue businesses. We have already reformed the Gangmasters Licensing Authority into the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority with the ability to tackle labour exploitation.

Radioactive Waste

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will take steps to ensure that storage or disposal of nuclear waste is compliant with the obligations outlined in Article 29 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Jesse Norman: The storage and disposal of radioactive waste in the UK is, and will continue to be, carried out in accordance with the requirements of national and international law.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by his Department  are non-UK nationals.

Joseph Johnson: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of staff on the payroll of his Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Joseph Johnson: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions after the UK leaves the UK.

Margot James: The UK has continued to participate in the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) since the EU referendum vote. Future engagement between the UK and Eurofound will be considered as part of the broader EU exit negotiations.

European Training Foundation

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Training Foundation after the UK leaves the EU.

Joseph Johnson: The UK will continue to participate in the European Training Foundation until we leave the EU. Future participation after we leave the EU is a matter for the forthcoming negotiations.

European Union Intellectual Property Office

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans continued participation in the European Intellectual Property Office after the UK leaves the EU.

Joseph Johnson: The European Intellectual Property Office is a decentralised Agency of the European Union. After leaving the EU, UK businesses will continue to be able to apply to that organisation for EU Trade Marks and Registered Community Designs covering the member states of the EU.

Richard Paniguian

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what meetings Ministers or officials of (a) his Department and (b) the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills had with Sir Richard Paniguian in the last 12 months; and on what dates those meeting took place.

Margot James: Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published quarterly on the www.gov.uk website at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bis-quarterly-publications-april-to-june-2012Information about officials is not held centrally.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

United Nations: Finance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which governmental departments make voluntary contributions to UN special political missions; and how much each such Department contributed in each of the last five years.

Alok Sharma: ​Government Departments, notably the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ministry of Defence and Department for International Development have all made occasional targeted voluntary contributions to UN Special Political Missions (SPMs) over the last five years. Information about these discretionary payments is not held in a single consolidated form, and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. The Government identifies and monitors the value and impact of providing the voluntary funding on a case by case basis.

Israel: Palestinians

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Israeli authorities on the demolition of structures inhabited by Palestinians in the West Bank.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​On 7 September, during a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Lieberman in London, I raised our concerns about demolitions. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv also regularly raise our concerns on this issue with the Israeli authorities.

Israel: Palestinians

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate the Government has made of the number of structures in the West Bank funded through EU aid projects that have been demolished by Israeli forces; and what the cost of their reconstruction will be.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​While we have not made any estimate on the number of EU-funded structures that have been demolished in the West Bank, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) database on demolitions in the West Bank, 271 donor-funded structures have been demolished since the beginning of the year up to 11 June. OCHA measure demolitions of donor-funded structures, we do not know how many of these are EU funded. We have not made any estimates of the costs of reconstruction.

Falkland Islands: LGBT People

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in the Falkland Islands on improving LGBT rights.

Sir Alan Duncan: The British Government works closely with the Overseas Territories (OTs) on LGBT rights to ensure that all OTs meet their international human rights obligations in this area.In September, the UK Solicitor General chaired a human rights session at the annual conference of OT Attorneys General where LGBT equality was discussed extensively.The Solicitor General will co-chair a session in November with the Minister for the Overseas Territories, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns, on human rights at the Joint Ministerial Council.We expect all Overseas Territory Governments to comply with their evolving international obligations in the field of human rights. Legislating in this area is for OT Governments.

Israel: Palestinians

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions on the demolition of Palestinian homes.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​We have not had any discussions with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions.

Turks and Caicos Islands: LGBT People

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in the Turcs and Caicos Islands on improving LGBT rights.

Sir Alan Duncan: The British Government works closely with the Overseas Territories (OTs) on LGBT rights to ensure that all OTs meet their international human rights obligations in this area. In September, the UK Solicitor General chaired a human rights session at the annual conference of OT Attorneys General where LGBT equality was extensively discussed. The Solicitor General will co-chair a session in November with the Minister for the Overseas Territories, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns, on human rights at the Joint Ministerial Council. We expect all OT Governments to comply with their evolving international obligations in the field of human rights. Legislating in this area is for OT Governments.

Montenegro: NATO

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK has ratified Montenegro's accession to NATO; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Government laid Montenegro's Protocol of Accession before Parliament on 29 June 2016, under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. Following the summer recess, the Protocol completed its Parliamentary scrutiny period on 15 September. We are currently finalising the process to confirm the UK's acceptance of the Protocol and allow us to deposit it with the US Government (depositary for the Treaty), as stipulated by the North Atlantic Treaty. We expect to complete this shortly and look forward to welcoming Montenegro as the 29th NATO Ally, once all current NATO Allies have ratified according to their own national processes.

Cayman Islands: LGBT People

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in the Cayman Islands on improving LGBT rights.

Sir Alan Duncan: The British Government works closely with the Overseas Territories (OTs) on LGBT rights to ensure that all OTs meet their international human rights obligations in this area. In September, the UK Solicitor General chaired a human rights session at the annual conference of OT Attorneys General, where LGBT equality was extensively discussed. The Solicitor General will co-chair a session in November with the Minister for the Overseas Territories, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns, on human rights at the Joint Ministerial Council. And earlier this month, Baroness Anelay addressed LGB&T issues when she spoke to the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly. We expect all OT Governments to comply with their evolving international obligations in the field of human rights. Legislating in this area is for OT Governments.

Zaina Erhaim

Heidi Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the case of the Syrian journalist, Zaina Erhaim.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: My officials have been in contact with the UK Border Force about this case. We are aware that the passport presented by Zaina Erhaim has been retained by UK Border Force officials. The passport was listed on an international database as lost or stolen. In such circumstances the Border Force will confiscate the document. Since the passport is listed as lost or stolen, it is no longer valid for travel to the UK or elsewhere and as such the Border Force is not able to return the passport to Ms Erhaim. The passport is therefore being retained by the British authorities.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: European Commission

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which EU commissioners he has met since taking office; and when and where such meetings took place.

Sir Alan Duncan: There have been no such meetings.

Syria: Peace Negotiations

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to Russia on the breaking of the ceasefire in Aleppo.

Sir Alan Duncan: The UK supported the Governments of France and Spain in their efforts to pass a UN Security Council Resolution on 8th October, calling for an immediate end to the bombardment of Aleppo. This resolution was vetoed by Russia. The UK's Permanent Representative to the United Nations condemned Russia's use of the veto in the strongest possible terms, as "a cynical abuse of the privileges and responsibilities of permanent membership". We have called repeatedly on Russia at the highest levels to implement a ceasefire in Syria, and to use its influence to deliver this. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) raised his concerns directly with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov during their meeting on 21 September, and the Prime Minister discussed the situation in Syria with President Putin on 4 September at the G20 Summit. I also refer the Hon. Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement of 11 October (Hansard 11 October 2016, Column 165).

Syria: Peace Negotiations

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the Russia-US peace process in Syria.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Foreign Secretary discusses Syria regularly with US Secretary of State John Kerry. They last discussed the situation in Syria and the prospects for resuming a political process on 16 October. The UK and US are both working to achieve a full cessation of hostilities, secure country-wide humanitarian access, and implement a strong monitoring mechanism to create the conditions for a resumption of political talks.

Syria: Peace Negotiations

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which UK officials have been present at discussions on the peace process in Syria between the US and Russia.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​Discussions to re-establish a nationwide Cessation of Hostilities have been led bilaterally between the US and Russia as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), without wider attendance. The UK participates in full meetings of the ISSG. The Foreign Secretary has attended ISSG meetings accompanied by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Political Director, the UK's Special Representative for Syria, and Director Middle East and North Africa.

Israel: Immigration Controls

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens are known to have been (a) detained and (b) delayed when entering Israel in the past 12 months.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​According to Israeli figures 129 000 British nationals have visited Israel since 1 January 2016, and 50 British nationals have been refused entry into Israel through Ben-Gurion Airport. Of these, 25 sought assistance from the British Embassy. A further 65 British nationals have been refused entry at the Allenby Bridge.

Israel: Immigration Controls

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens held in Israel's airport detention facilities have been provided with consular assistance by the UK embassy in Tel Aviv in the last 12 months.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​Since January 2016, 25 British nationals who have been detained at Ben-Gurion Airport have requested consular assistance from the UK Embassy.

Israel: Immigration Controls

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens have raised the issue of poor treatment by Israeli authorities at border crossings and entry points with the (a) UK Government, (b) embassy in Tel Aviv and (c) consulates in Jerusalem and Ramallah in the last 12 months.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Since January 2016, 15 British nationals have alleged poor treatment by Israeli authorities at border crossings.

Israel: Immigration Controls

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people with dual Palestinian and British citizenship have been (a) refused entry to, (b) detained by and (c) deported by Israel in the last 12 months.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Palestinians are not allowed to enter Israel through Ben-Gurion Airport. Dual British/Palestinian nationals enter on their Palestinian documents through Allenby Bridge. We are not aware of any Dual nationals who have been refused entry.

Israel: Immigration Controls

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens have been deported by Israel after initially being granted entry to the state in the last 12 months.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​We are not aware of any British nationals that have been deported after being allowed entry, with the exception of people who have overstayed their visa.

Turkey: Kurds

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Turkish counterparts during his visit to Turkey between 24 and 27 September 2016 on (a) the rights of Kurdish citizens in Turkey, (b) Kurdish political representation and self-determination within Turkey and (c) Turkish military operations against Kurdish groups in East Turkey and Syria.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​During his visit to Turkey on 25-27 September, the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) discussed with Foreign Minister Cavusoglu the situation in South & East Turkey and the outlook for a possible return to a peace process with the PKK. The Foreign Secretary also discussed with several Turkish interlocutors the situation in Northern Syria, where we encourage cooperation amongst all participants within the Global Coalition to focus on combating the threat posed by Daesh.

Israel: Immigration Controls

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens are known to have been detained, interrogated and subsequently denied entry by Israel in the last 12 months.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​According to Israeli figures 129 000 British nationals have visited Israel since 1 January 2016, and 50 British nationals have been refused entry into Israel through Ben-Gurion Airport. Of these, 25 sought assistance from the British Embassy. A further 65 British nationals have been refused entry at the Allenby Bridge.

Iran: Political Prisoners

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he or officials of his Department have had any recent discussions with their Iranian counterparts on the massacre of political prisoners in Iran in 1988.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the people responsible for the massacre of political prisoners in Iran in 1988 are brought to justice.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the UK Security Council on prosecuting the people responsible for the massacre of political prisoners in Iran in 1988.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The British Government opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances and takes any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously. The Iranian Government has repeatedly denied that a mass execution took place, though we are aware that between July 1988 and January 1989 executions did take place. However, even with the recording and media reporting on the incident, we have no confirmation of the numbers involved. Although we have no plans to pursue this specific matter we will continue to take action with the international community to press for improvements on all human rights issues in Iran, including ending the death penalty.

Pakistan: Capital Punishment

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Pakistani government on the death penalty imposed on Imdad Ali.

Alok Sharma: I am concerned about Mr Ali's case and continue to follow developments. The UK remains firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. Abolitionist work is high on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) agenda and is part of the day-to-day work of all diplomatic missions to countries that retain the death penalty. The FCO human rights and democracy report 2015 makes clear our views on the death penalty and the resumption of executions in Pakistan.Whilst we have not raised the specific case of Imdad Ali with the Pakistani government, the former Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Philip Hammond), raised the issue of the death penalty with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2015, and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Tobias Ellwood), since wrote to the Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK expressing deep concern about ongoing executions. Together with our EU partners, we continue to raise our concerns about the death penalty with the Government of Pakistan and urge compliance with international obligations.

Russia: Syria

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has received evidence that Russia has committed war crimes in Syria; under what international treaties or conventions any such crimes committed by that country fall to be (a) investigated and (b) prosecuted; and what discussions he has had with his European and other counterparts on such crimes.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The International Criminal Court (ICC) has the jurisdiction to judge and prosecute war crimes. However, neither Russia nor Syria are state parties to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC. The only way to secure an investigation by the ICC would be for the UN Security Council (UNSC) to refer the situation in Syria to the ICC. This would require a UNSC resolution. Russia and China vetoed a UNSC resolution which proposed referring all those responsible for war-crimes and crimes against humanity, regardless of affiliation, to the ICC in May 2014. We regularly raise allegations of atrocities being committed in Syria with international counterparts, most recently in the UN Security Council on Saturday 8 October, when Russia vetoed the proposed UNSC resolution calling for an end to the bombardment of Aleppo. Deliberate targeting of civilians or humanitarian personnel would be a war crime. The attack on a UN aid convoy near Aleppo on 19 September was a clear violation of the most basic of humanitarian principles. Russia appears to be partnering with the Syrian regime in the attacks on Aleppo which are causing large numbers of civilian casualties.

Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council

Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Government expects to host the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council; what he expects to be on the agenda for that meeting; and what outcomes he expects to achieve from that meeting.

Sir Alan Duncan: The annual Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) brings together political leaders from the Overseas Territories and UK Ministers. It will meet this year in London from 1-2 November and will be hosted by the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. the Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE.An agenda is being developed in partnership with territory leaders and reflects areas key to our shared interests. It is likely to include, but not be limited to, sessions on economic development, good governance and human rights (including child safeguarding), as well as the challenges and opportunities arising from the UK's decision to leave the European Union. A communiqué will be issued following the conclusion of the JMC. The UK Government will update the House by written ministerial statement afterwards.

Islamic State

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 August 2016 to Question 43327, whether his Department has classified the international armed conflict with Daesh to be with or without territorial restriction.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Armed conflict with Daesh is non-international in character and is territorially restricted.

Bahrain: Technical Assistance

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how his Department measures the success of its technical assistant projects in Bahrain.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​It is standard practice to evaluate all Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) programmes and project work. Projects are continuously monitored through regular meetings with stakeholders and implementers, visits and monthly and quarterly reports. The outcome of these evaluations is used to inform and improve any future assistance that we may provide. The FCO provides updates on its programme work in its annual Human Rights report.

Egypt: Aviation

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects to be able to advise airlines flying from the UK that it is safe to resume flights to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Government has not yet concluded that it is right to lift the restrictions on direct UK flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh. The security of British nationals is the Government's top priority. Our security experts take account of many factors in providing advice on whether it is safe to fly to certain destinations.UK aviation security experts have worked closely with their Egyptian counterparts on the ground, sharing their expertise in establishing effective security arrangements. We continue to work in partnership in a spirit of cooperation, and are grateful for Egypt's close engagement and partnership. We look forward to achieving the return of flights once we can be assured that the necessary security environment can be sustained.

Ethiopia: Human Rights

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that human rights are being upheld in Ethiopia.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We remain deeply concerned by the violence which has occurred in the Oromia and Amhara regions of Ethiopia throughout 2016 including the high number of deaths.We have made clear to the Government of Ethiopia, including at ministerial level, our concerns about the handling of these protests. We have reiterated our strong support for the constitutional right of all Ethiopian citizens to gather peacefully and express their opinions. We also supported the EU's statement of 10 August expressing concern and condolences to those affected, and their statement on the current state of emergency.At the Ethiopian state opening on Parliament on Monday 10 October, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, announced proposals which Ethiopia hope will address some of the underlying grievances of the wider population.We continue to raise our concerns with the Government of Ethiopia both through our bilateral engagement, as well as jointly with our international partners.

Bahrain: Criminal Investigation

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK has provided any specific training to the Special Investigations Unit in Bahrain since it was established in 2013.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK's package of technical assistance to support reform in Bahrain began in 2012. Much of it has focused on assisting Bahrain build effective and accountable institutions, assisting the government in ensuring rule of law, police and justice are compliant with international standards and best practice. The specific support that we have provided, and continue to provide, to the Special Investigations Unit has been to assist them to build their capacity to make it more effective in carrying out better investigations and, therefore, build public confidence in the institution itself.

Diego Garcia: USA

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44262 on Diego Garcia, since what date the existing procedures referred to have been in place.

Sir Alan Duncan: The US presence on the island of Diego Garcia is governed by a series of agreements, called Exchanges of Notes, of which the overarching agreement sets out the whole Territory should be made available for UK and US defence purposes for an initial 50 year period of 1966 to 2016. If neither side object during a two year window of December 2014 to December 2016, the agreement will continue as it stands until the end of December 2036.

USA: Unmanned Air Vehicles

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the Proposed Joint Declaration of Principles for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) has had no direct discussions with his US counterpart on this US-led initiative. He was consulted by Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials, who agreed with their US counterparts the 5 October Joint Declaration for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike –Enabled Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Islamic State

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress the international coalition is making in its work to defeat Daesh.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​As recent progress in Qayyarah in Iraq and Manbij in Syria demonstrates, our strategy of supporting local forces, including with airstrikes is working. The Coalition assesses that Daesh has been driven out of around half the territory it once occupied in Iraq and over 20 per cent in Syria. Thousands of people have been freed from Daesh's rule and many of those who have escaped have now been able to return to their homes. The next major challenges are driving Daesh out of Raqqa and Mosul.

Tunisia: Terrorism

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the ad hoc Ministerial committee established after the terrorist attacks in Tunisia in 2015 plans to publish its conclusions and recommendations on (a) the support provided by the Government to British nationals or residents affected by those attacks and (b) its recommended support for victims or witnesses of future incidents.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: As Chair of the Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee to Coordinate Support for People Affected by the Terrorist Attacks in Tunisia, I have updated the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), MPs and victims regularly about the Committee's work. There was no commitment to report publicly. The Committee recommended that the lessons it had learned from supporting those affected by the Tunisia attacks benefitted any future victims of terrorism. HMG will ensure that it builds on the work of the Committee in future arrangements.

Eritrea: Asylum

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Eritrea on the increase in political asylum seekers from that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK participates in the EU/Africa Khartoum Process; the main regional mechanism for tackling human trafficking and people smuggling in the Horn of Africa most notably from Eritrea.We are using our increased engagement with Eritrea to push for the tangible improvements in Eritrea's human rights record, including: amending its national service system; fully implementing its own constitution; and cooperating with international human rights bodies.

Giulio Regeni

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government is giving to Egyptian and Italian authorities investigating the murder of Giulio Regeni.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We were appalled by the murder of Giulio Regeni in Cairo. As soon as we were made aware of reports of Mr Regeni's disappearance on 25 January, we contacted the Italian government to offer our assistance. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Director-General for Middle East and Africa renewed this offer to the Italian Ambassador to London on 22 April. We continue to offer our full support to Italy. I have raised Mr Regeni's case with the Egyptian authorities myself, as have senior officials. In these discussions we have underlined the need for a full and transparent investigation. We remain in contact with both the Italian and Egyptian authorities.

Yemen: Military Intervention

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 45588, what recent representations he has received from Saudi officials on their Joint Investigation Assessment Team and the timescale for the investigation.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK welcomes the release by Joint Incident Assessment Team (JIAT) of the outcome of eight investigations into incidents of alleged breaches of international humanitarian law in Yemen. The Saudi-led Coaltion announced it will immediately investigate the airstrike hitting a funeral hall in the Yemeni capital Sana’a on 8 October along with Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT). I raised my concerns with the Saudi Ambassador to London on 9 October and urged the Saudi-led coalition's announced investigation into the incident to take place as a matter of urgency.

Darfur: Chemical Weapons

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government plans to make to the international community on the alleged chemical weapons attacks in Dafur.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are concerned by the allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Sudan and we are aware that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is looking into these. The use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere is contrary to international law and must be wholly condemned. We were also concerned to read the other allegations made in the Amnesty report, which highlight the need for access to conflict-affected areas. Ensuring access for UNAMID throughout Darfur is a crucial next step. We have made this clear in the UN Security Council, and have also raised this in the context of the report directly with the Government of Sudan in London, Khartoum and New York.

Darfur: Chemical Weapons

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the report by Amnesty International, published on 29 September 2016, on the use of chemical weapon attacks against civilians in Darfur.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​We monitor all allegations of chemical weapons use in close cooperation with international partners and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). We are aware that the OPCW is looking into the allegations contained in the Amnesty International report. We unreservedly condemn chemical weapons use by anyone, anywhere.

Yemen: Military Intervention

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons the Government did not support proposals by the Netherlands for the UN Human Rights Council to set up an independent inquiry into civilian deaths in Yemen.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​We worked hard with international partners to secure a strong resolution to help the situation on the ground in Yemen. The resolution includes a commitment to increase the number of international human rights experts in the Yemen Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) operation, making clear the independent mandate for OHCHR to conduct their own investigations. The resolution also maintains the technical cooperation programme for OHCHR to strengthen the National Commission in Yemen, which we believe will make a difference on the ground. We look forward to reports from the OHCHR next year.

Germany: Thalidomide

Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 September 2016 to Question 45858 and 2 August 2016 to Question 42407, whether Government assistance has been provided to the UK Thalidomide Trust on its proposal to allow collective compensation applications to Contergan Foundation established by the German government.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Government has discussed this proposal with the Thalidomide Trust and is considering the detail. The German Government has been clear, however, that collective compensation is not permissible. In response to the UK Government's previous correspondence they have stated that:"The assessment of damage by the Medical Commission of the Contergan Foundation and the individual categorization in line with the damage points according to the legally stipulated points based system are mandatory – irrespective of analogous assessments from abroad".The German Government further states that there are approximately 300 non-German recognised persons worldwide who are currently supported by the Contergan Foundation, each of whom has undergone individual assessment. This information has been shared with the Trust.

Burundi: Politics and Government

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the government of Burundi on political violence in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the political situation in Burundi and the allegations of horrific human rights abuses against its people.Our Special Envoy to the Great Lakes, Danae Dholakia, met with several Burundian government Ministers alongside her French counterpart in Bujumbura in June; and met with the Burundian Foreign Minister in Arusha in mid-July. In July we deployed a permanent UK Diplomat to Bujumbura to increase our engagement.We support the East African Community (EAC) led dialogue process mediated by former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa and have been present through our Special Envoy at each round of the dialogue so far, engaging directly with all parties.We have also been working with partners to ensure that the international response is robust. We supported the suspension of EU aid direct to the government last March. We imposed EU sanctions on individuals accused of human rights abuses. We agreed UN Security Council Resolutions, including UNSCR 2303 which mandates a UN police force. We pushed for a strong Burundi resolution in the Human Rights Council on 27 September and welcome its establishment of a Commission of Enquiry. Burundi is a UK priority country for human rights work in 2016.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Elections

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the next presidential election in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: One of my first visits since my appointment as Africa Minister in July was to the DRC on 8-10 August. During my visit, I met a number of senior members of the government. I stressed the importance of holding Presidential elections within the constitutional time frame. Our Embassy in Kinshasa and our Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region take every opportunity to make this point to members of the DRC Government. I also hosted an event on the DRC during the UN General Assembly in September, where I discussed a collective approach to addressing the issue of electoral delay with a number of foreign ministers and Special Envoys to the Great Lakes.Following the violence in Kinshasa on 19 September, I made a statement condemning the violence and urged the DRC Government to set a date for Presidential elections as soon as possible in 2017; this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/minister-for-africa-concerned-at-violence-in-drc. On 20 September, I made a further such statement urging for respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as reiterating the need for a date for Presidential elections; this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tobias-ellwood-minister-for-middle-east-and-africa-calls-on-drc-government-to-set-election-date

Israel: Palestinians

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the (a) number of Palestinians affected by the demolition over separate locations on 27 September 2016 of structures in the West Bank and (b) potential cost of the reconstruction of those structures.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​We do not hold the information requested.

Russia: Sanctions

Mr Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to hold discussions with his EU counterparts on the potential inclusion of companies and significant people who are involved in the construction of the bridge from Russia to Ukraine on the Russia sanctions list.

Sir Alan Duncan: The UK continues to strongly condemn Russia's ongoing violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The EU has agreed a robust sanctions package against Russia, including specific measures targeting those responsible for infrastructure projects linking Crimea to Russia.

Foreign Policy

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for UK foreign policy of the President of the European Commission's State of the Union Address of 14 September 2016.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​The UK will continue to share foreign and security interests and common challenges with EU Member States and other partners. We will continue to be an influential international actor, remaining a leading member of NATO, the G7 and G20, and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. We do not assess President Juncker’s speech as fundamentally altering this.

Sub-Saharan Africa: Politics and Government

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to address the humanitarian crisis in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Her Majesty's Government is committed to addressing humanitarian crises in Africa through a number of means, including working bilaterally with African countries and through supporting multilateral bodies such as the European Union, United Nations, the International Financial Institutions and the African Union. The UK is also a leading donor in responding to crisis in the region; last year the Department for International Development spent £522m on humanitarian assistance across Africa, including South Sudan, Nigeria and in response to El Nino effects in Ethiopia and Southern Africa.We also remain an active partner of the African Union, supporting the organisation to deliver its responsibility for peace and security on the continent, and in its role as the first responder to crisis. In addition,Ministerial colleagues and I undertake regular visits to the region where prevention and responses to humanitarian crises are frequently discussed.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by his Department are non-UK nationals.

Sir Alan Duncan: The total Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) workforce as at 31 March 2016 was 12,563 comprising 4,295 FCO UK based staff and 8,268 FCO local staff. The Aliens' Employment Act 1955 makes it a requirement that all UK-based staff must be British nationals or dual nationals where one of those nationalities is British. We do not collect centrally details of the nationality of our staff employed locally overseas.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proportion of staff on the payroll of his Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Aliens' Employment Act 1955 makes it a requirement that all UK based staff recruited to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in the UK must be British nationals or dual nationals where one of those nationalities is British.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of his Department.

Alok Sharma: As cleaning services in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's buildings are provided by an external contractor, we do not hold information in the form requested.This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Emergency Travel Documents

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many emergency travel documents were issued by HM Passport Office in each of the last five years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) issues Emergency Travel Documents to British nationals overseas who need to travel urgently and do not have access to a Full Validity Passport. An emergency travel document is valid for a specific journey made at a specified time. In the past five years, the FCO have issued the following number of documents:2012 – 28,7372013 – 29,9452014 – 39,1672015 – 30,8442016 – 23,907Please note that 2016 figures cover up until the end of September.

UN Refugees and Migrants Summit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the UK delegates who attended the UN General Assembly meetings on refugees and migrants that took place on 19 and 20 September 2016.

Alok Sharma: On 19 September, the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) attended the UN Summit Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants. She also participated in President Obama's Leaders' Summit on Refugees on 20 September. The Secretary of State for International Development, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witham (Priti Patel) also attended both of these meetings. Senior officials from Number 10, the Department for International Development, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office provided support to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State during these events.

Yemen: Military Intervention

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the statement by Ned Price, US National Security Council Spokesman, of 8 October 2016, on reviewing the US support provided to the Saudi-led coalition in the Yemen, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of the UK Government carrying out such a review of UK support.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​The UK Government is deeply concerned by the conflict in Yemen, including recent events in Sana'a. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application. The key test for our continued arms exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is whether there is a clear risk that those items might be used in a serious violation of IHL. The situation is kept under careful and continual review.

Syria: Peace Negotiations

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his UN counterparts on invoking UN Resolution 337A, Uniting for Peace, in order to convene an emergency Special Session of the General Assembly on Syria.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK regularly discusses with UN partners the appropriate forums to discuss this appalling and deteriorating situation in Syria. The UK has requested and co-sponsored a number of Emergency Sessions in the Security Council on different events in Syria, to ensure the Council is fully appraised of the intensity of violence and indiscriminate attacks in Aleppo and across Syria, as well as the consequences of Asad’s ‘starve and surrender’ tactics and use of chemical weapons. We will continue to consider UN General Assembly action, including an Emergency Session.

Uzbekistan: Religious Discrimination

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Uzbekistan government on reports of (a) recent sentencing of Christians for possession of religious literature and (b) the deduction of the salaries of people who have previously been found guilty of possessing religious literature.

Sir Alan Duncan: We regularly raise our concerns, including on freedom of religion or belief, directly with the Uzbek authorities, through our Embassy in Tashkent and at Ministerial level. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) discussed human rights concerns with Ministerial counterparts during his visit to Tashkent in April. Uzbekistan features as a Human Rights Priority Country in the FCO's Annual Human Rights Report. We also encourage further progress towards full implementation of Uzbekistan's international human rights commitments and obligations, both bilaterally and with our international partners.Concerns about freedom of religion or belief were raised in the last EU-Uzbekistan human rights dialogue which took place in November 2015, at the EU-Uzbekistan Co-operation Council in May 2015, and EU-Uzbekistan Co-operation Committee in December 2015. We will continue to press Uzbekistan representatives on such issues in forthcoming EU-Uzbekistan meetings.

Unmanned Air Vehicles: Exports

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) the Prime Minister, (b) the Attorney General and (c) the Secretary of State for Defence on the implications for Government policies of the Joint Declaration for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled unmanned Aerial Vehicles issued on 5 October 2016.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Foreign Secretary has had no direct discussions with the Prime Minister, or Defence Secretary on this US-led initiative. It is longstanding government policy not to comment on consultations with the Attorney General. Both the Foreign Secretary, and the Rt Hon Earl Howe (as Defence Minister with responsibility for this area) agreed that the Joint Declaration by 45 nations on the export and subsequent use of armed or strike-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles was consistent with, a reiteration of, existing UK Government policy.

Yemen: War Crimes

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will support the establishment of a UN Inquiry into alleged war crimes committed during the Yemen civil war.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​We are aware of reports of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by actors in the conflict and take these very seriously. It is important that all sides conduct thorough and conclusive investigations into incidents where it is alleged that IHL has been breached. The Saudi Arabian Government has their own internal procedures for investigations. At a press conference on 31 January they announced more detail of how they investigate such incidents. The Saudi led Coalition Joint Investigations Assessment Team announced the outcome of 8 investigations on 4 August.

Sudan: Christianity

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise with the Sudanese government reports of attacks on Christians and proposals by the Sudanese government to demolish church property in the Bahri region of Khartoum.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Freedom of religion or belief in Sudan, including allegations of the destruction of churches, continues to be an area of concern for the UK. Officials from our Embassy in Khartoum consistently raise it with the Government of Sudan as part of our ongoing human rights dialogue, most recently during the visit of a senior Sudanese delegation to London on 10 October. More widely, we continue to call on the Government of Sudan to ensure all legislation is consistent with the commitment to their citizens in the Interim Constitution of 2005 within which religious freedom is enshrined.

Islamic State

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons he has not made a counter-Daesh quarterly update to the House since May 2016; and when he next plans to provide such an update.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: My Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Boris Johnson MP, member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, intends to update the House in the near future.

Crimea: Tatars

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the treatment of the Tatar minority in occupied Crimea.

Sir Alan Duncan: The human rights situation in Crimea has deteriorated significantly since the Russia's illegal annexation. We are deeply concerned about the treatment of Crimean Tatars who face regular harassment including arrests, detentions, disappearances, threats to seize property, and restrictions on their rights of worship, assembly and expression, including a ban on the Mejlis council. We are aware of reports that 18 Crimean Tatars are currently held in Russian-run prisons and several more are under arrest for opposing the illegal annexation of Crimea. International human rights organisations such as the UN and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe are barred from entering Crimea. We continue to call on Russia to allow them immediate and unfettered access.

Yemen: Children

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the UN Human Rights Council on protecting children in Yemen.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We worked hard with international partners to secure a strong resolution to help the situation on the ground in Yemen. The resolution includes a commitment to increase the number of international human rights experts in the Yemen Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) operation, making clear the independent mandate for OHCHR to conduct their own investigations. The resolution also maintains the technical cooperation programme for OHCHR to strengthen the National Commission in Yemen, which we believe will make a difference on the ground. We look forward to reports from the OHCHR next year.

PKK

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) extent, (b) effectiveness and (c) sources of financing of PKK terrorism in Turkey; and what support the Government has offered to the government of Turkey to help tackle such terrorism.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​The PKK, and the linked Kurdistan Freedom Falcons are proscribed terrorist groups in the UK and within the EU, which makes the provision of financial support to them a criminal act. We continue to take action against their terrorist activity domestically and to encourage international partners to do the same. The UK and Turkey continue to work closely together to address terrorism in all its forms, on a bilateral basis and through international forums such as the Global Counter - Terrorism Forum, and the international Coalition Against Daesh. We continue to express our view that PKK violence must cease, and to encourage a peace process to bring the ongoing violence in the south east of Turkey to an end.

Afghanistan: Security

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Afghanistan.

Alok Sharma: I refer the Hon. Member to the response the Minister of State, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. the Baroness of Anelay of St Johns, gave in the other place on 26 September 2016, Official Report, House of Lords, HL1823.We strongly condemn the recent attacks on places of worship in Afghanistan. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. The security situation in Afghanistan remains challenging. We commend the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF)'s resilience over recent weeks in combating a series of determined insurgent assaults. The Taliban continue to expand their influence in some rural areas and increasingly threaten some provincial capitals. However, with significant international assistance the government has been able to expand their influence in some rural areas and government forces have repelled assaults on significant population centres.Along with international partners, the UK is committed to helping Afghanistan build a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan. At the Warsaw Summit in July 2016, NATO agreed to sustain its non-combat "Train, Advise and Assist" mission (Resolute Support) through 2017. We are increasing the UK forces under RS command by 10 per cent. I attended the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan on 4 October, which was another strong signal of international resolve. At that conference, the UK pledged £750 million in development support to Afghanistan through until 2020. Ultimately, a political settlement offers the best prospect for an enduring peace. We urge the Taliban to join the political process and become part of a brighter future for Afghanistan.

Syria: Armed Conflict

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the viability of operating a no-fly zone within Syria.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​As the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) made clear on 13 October, the issue of a no-fly zone within Syria has been assessed over a number of years.This Government is clear that it wants to see an end to the indiscriminate slaughter of innocent civilians in Syria. We are working hard within the international community to consider all options which could improve the situation.History shows that establishing and policing no-fly or safe zones are not simple tasks, especially in intense conflict. In fact, there is a risk that safe zones can themselves become targets. The practicalities of any form of no-fly zone, or safe zone, need to be considered very carefully. We would need to understand fully the consequences of establishing a safe area, and we would need to work closely with our partners to consider how a no-fly zone or safe area would be protected.

Capital Punishment

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the determination by the European Court of Human Rights and the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment that detention on death row represents a form of torture.

Alok Sharma: The UK shares the view that the death penalty is wrong in all circumstances and is inherently inhumane. We call on the Government of Belarus to join the rest of Europe by abolishing the death penalty. The UK urges those states which continue to execute people to comply with the standards set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Ukraine: Aviation

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is planning to take in respect of Russia as a result of the findings of the independent MH17 Joint Investigation Team.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Joint Investigation Team's ongoing investigation is essential to ensure that those responsible for this incident are brought to justice. Its initial criminal report has provided clear evidence that the missile that brought down MH17 was Russian-made, and launched from within territory held by Russian-backed separatist groups. We have urged Russia to engage constructively with the findings, the ongoing investigation, and any resulting attempts to prosecute those identified as the perpetrators.

Japan: Foreign Relations

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to develop (a) diplomatic and (b) trading relationships with Japan since the referendum on exiting the EU.

Alok Sharma: Ministers and senior Government officials have been in close contact with the Japanese government and Japanese investors since the referendum in June. I met representatives of Japanese business on 8 September at Asia House. During my visit to Japan on 26-29 September, I met my counterparts in the Japanese Foreign and Defence Ministries, and spoke to individual investors in Tokyo and Osaka. The Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) also met their counterparts during the UN General Assembly on 20 September. UK-Japan relations are broad and deep, ranging from trade and investment to security and defence. As we plan our exit from the European Union we will continue to work closely together, strengthening an open and thriving economic partnership.

Department for Exiting the European Union

UK Withdrawal From EU: Trade Agreements

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will publish his Department's negotiating priorities for a  free trade deal with the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: We are about to begin these negotiations and it would be wrong to set out unilateral positions in advance. At every step of these negotiations we will work to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people.

European Medicines Agency

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Government plans to negotiate to continue participation in the European Medicines Agency after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr David Jones: The Government is considering all the options available as we negotiate a new relationship with the European Union.We are about to begin these negotiations and it would be wrong to set out further unilateral positions in advance. At every step of these negotiations we will work to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Consultants

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many times his Department has used the services of (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) KPMG and (e) other consulting firms since his Department was established; and what (i) work was undertaken and (ii) the cost to the public purse was on each such occasion.

Mr David Jones: The Department for Exiting the European Union has used the services of a number of consulting firms to help with departmental set-up and planning. The cost to the public purse on each occasion was either nil or nominal fee (£1). Two individuals are on secondment from consultancy firms, incurring a cost to the department equivalent to median civil service salary levels.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will take steps to let current EU staff and students know they are welcome to stay beyond the UK exit from the EU.

Mr David Jones: The Prime Minister has been clear that during negotiations she wants to protect the status of EU nationals already living here, and the only circumstances in which that would not be possible is if British citizens’ rights in European member states were not also protected.

Universities: International Cooperation

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will take steps to make international collaboration between UK and EU universities a key part of the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: The Government has been clear that we will make a success of Brexit, including for our world class universities. The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK remains a world leader in international research and innovation collaboration and that is why the Government has been consulting, and will continue to consult, with a broad range of stakeholders in this sector.We are not going to provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of the negotiations, but we will work hard to get the best deal for Britain, its universities, and the wider research sector.

EU Law

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether his Department has made an estimate of the total cost to the public purse of repealing EU legislation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Jones: We are working towards securing the best possible deal for the whole United Kingdom. It will be for Parliament to determine which legislation should or should not be repealed after the passage of the Great Repeal Act. The Bill will help to provide certainty to businesses, consumers, workers and voluntary organisations by preserving all existing EU law.DExEU will be working closely with every Government department to ensure that the full range of opportunities are taken and risks mitigated across every area of Government policy.

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr David Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17th October 2016 to the Question 47173.Nothing has yet been decided on whether the UK will continue participation in the European Centre for Disease Control after leaving the European Union. Officials in both the Department of Health and the Department for Exiting the European Union are considering the position and options available to us with the aim of achieving the best outcome for the UK health system and for the UK as a whole.

EU External Trade

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate he has made of the (a) value and (b) volume of imports by sector, from non-EU countries that were exported to countries in the EU as (i) components and (ii) free standing items in each of the last five years.

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment his Department has made of the value of UK access to the single market.

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate he has made of the proportion of exports from the UK by volume and value which would be covered by rules of origin by sector in (a) 2016-17 and (b) each of the next three financial years.

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) UK gross domestic product that the UK has linked to exports to the EU, (b) EU gross domestic product that the EU has linked to exports to the UK and (c) each EU member state's gross domestic product that each such state has linked to exports to the UK.

Mr David Jones: My Department, working with officials across government, continues to undertake a wide range of data analyses to inform the UK's position for the upcoming negotiations with our EU partners. We have been clear that we will not provide a running commentary that might undermine our negotiating position.

UK Relations with EU: Public Consultation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what his policy is on the use of citizens' juries to define the UK's future relationship with the EU.

Mr David Jones: There are currently no plans to use citizens' juries to define the UK's future relationship with the EU.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of his Department.

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what proportion of staff on the payroll of his Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Mr David Jones: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules.Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Michel Barnier

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with Michel Barnier and on how many occasions about the UK's exit from the EU.

Mr David Jones: The Prime Minister has been clear we will not give a running commentary on Brexit negotiations. We will ensure that we engage closely with all relevant interlocutors.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by his Department are non-UK nationals.

Mr David Jones: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules.Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

UK Withdrawal from EU: Wales

Chris Elmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what plans he has to involve representatives from the Welsh Government in negotiations for exiting the EU.

Mr David Jones: The Prime Minister has committed to full engagement with the Devolved Administrations to get the best possible deal for all parts of our United Kingdom as we leave the EU. We will give the Welsh Government every opportunity to have their say as we form our negotiating strategy and we will look at any suggestions they put forward.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Procurement

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department's purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

Mr David Jones: Consistent with Managing Public Money principles, the Department for Exiting the European Union will ensure its purchasing policies represent value for money, are compliant with legal and international obligations, and follow Government policies and standards on public procurement.

UK Trade with EU

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will make an assessment of the effect on the UK (a) car, (b) food and (c) drinks industry of the UK leaving the EU without securing any preferential trade agreements and reverting to standard World Trade Organisation tariffs.

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will make an estimate of the potential average cost for a typical family of their weekly shopping in the event of the UK leaving the EU without securing any preferential trade agreements and reverting to standard World Trade Organisation tariffs.

Mr Robin Walker: My Department, working with officials across government, continues to undertake a wide range of data analyses to inform the UK's position for the upcoming negotiations with our EU partners. We have been clear that we will not provide a running commentary that might undermine our negotiating position.

Trade Agreements

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether he plans for any trade agreement between the UK and EU to come into force after the UK leaves the EU to be undertaken alongside negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: We are considering in detail the advantages and disadvantages of several different approaches. But we will not undermine the Government’s negotiating position by giving a running commentary on our position before negotiations have even started.The Prime Minister has spoken of getting a bespoke deal for the country - what we want is the right deal, on both trade for the UK and our relationship with the EU.

Department for Exiting the European Union: EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Jones: Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation.There are no outstanding directives waiting to be transposed that fall under the jurisdiction of the Department for Exiting the European Union.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Meetings

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2016 to Question 46424, if he will estimate the total cost of meetings held by his Department to date; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Jones: The Department does not track the costs of individual meetings. Details about overseas visits and related expenditure for Ministers and Senior Officials will be published as transparency data on gov.uk.

UK Withdrawal from EU: Scotland

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many meetings the Government has had with Ministers of the Scottish Government on the UK leaving the EU.

Mr David Jones: The Prime Minister has committed to full engagement with the Devolved Administrations to get the best possible deal for all parts of our United Kingdom as we leave the EU.The Secretary of State for Exiting the EU has spoken with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon about developing a UK approach for EU exit. He has also met with Michael Russell, the Scottish Government Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe, to discuss the work of the Department for Exiting the EU.We will give the Devolved Administrations every opportunity to have their say as we form our negotiating strategy and we will look at any suggestions they put forward.

UK Trade with EU

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether his Department has made an assessment of whether tariff free trade between the UK and EU member states would be possible under World Trade Organisation rules.

Mr Robin Walker: A World Trade Organisation member can enter into a preferential trade deal, such as a Free Trade Agreement, with another member.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Staff

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many civil servants are employed by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many civil servants working in his Department have been seconded from other government departments; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Jones: All departments are equipping themselves with the resources they need to get the best deal for the UK. The Department for Exiting the European Union now has over 250 staff plus the expertise of over 120 officials in Brussels, and we are still growing rapidly.The term 'secondment' to refers to an interchange of staff between the Civil Service and an external organisation as such we have not brought any secondees into the Department from elsewhere in the Civil Service. All joiners from other Government departments have been on a loan basis, which refers to an interchange of staff between Civil Service departments or Agencies.

UK Withdrawal from EU

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, for what reasons the Government plans to activate Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union by the end of March 2017.

Mr David Jones: There was a good reason why the Government said immediately after the referendum that it should not invoke Article 50 before the end of this year. This has given us the time to develop our negotiating strategy and avoid setting the clock ticking until our objectives are clear and agreed. As the Prime Minister has made clear, Article 50 will be triggered no later than the end of March next year.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Staff

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many civil servants who work for his Department work in each EU member state other than the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Jones: All departments are equipping themselves with the resources they need to get the best deal for the UK. The Department for Exiting the European Union now has over 250 staff all based in the UK plus the expertise of over 120 officials in Brussels, and we are still growing rapidly.

UK Withdrawal from EU

Dr Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent meetings he has had with representatives from (a) Iceland, Liechtenstein, (c) Norway and (d) Switzerland on the UK leaving the EU.

Mr David Jones: The Prime Minister has been clear we will not give a running commentary on our EU exit negotiations. We will ensure that we engage closely with all relevant interlocutors.

Attorney General

Protection of Military Remains Act 1986

Clive Lewis: To ask the Attorney General, how many offences have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 in each of the last six years.

Robert Buckland: The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 was enacted to secure the protection from unauthorised interference of the remains of military aircraft and vessels that have crashed, sunk or been stranded and, of associated human remains. No offences charged by way of this Act are recorded on the Crown Prosecution Service Case Management System Database during each of the last six years.

Government Legal Service

Louise Haigh: To ask the Attorney General, what plans he has to add additional capacity to the Government Legal Service for transposing legislation derived from the EU into UK law after the conclusion of negotiations for the UK to leave the EU.

Robert Buckland: The Treasury Solicitor as head of the Government Legal Service is monitoring demand for legal work across government in light of the referendum and business needs will be reflected in recruitment. Where additional capacity is required we are addressing this by lateral moves between teams supplemented by our normal recruitment processes. We will continue carefully to monitor the demand for legal services across government.

Attorney General: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by the Law Officers' Departments are non-UK nationals.

Robert Buckland: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. There are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Attorney General: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Attorney General, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of the Law Officers' Departments.

Robert Buckland: The Law Officer's Departments do not directly employ any staff to clean its estate. All cleaning services are provided via a national facilities management contract or via managed service agreements.

Attorney General: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of staff on the payroll of the Law Officers' Departments who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Robert Buckland: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. There are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Corruption

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney General, how many allegations of bribery of overseas parties by UK companies the Serious Fraud Office has received in each year since August 2012.

Robert Buckland: The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) does not hold a discernible record of allegations relating to bribery prior to 2013. The number of referrals for the period 2013 to September 2016 that contain allegations of bribery or corruption are provided in the following table. SFO records categorise referral data as relating to fraud and or bribery and corruption but do not differentiate between allegations of domestic or overseas bribery. To determine such information would require a manual review of each file, which would incur a disproportionate cost.  Recorded referrals: Bribery and corruption*Year ReceivedTotal2013161201418920152422016 (to date)110Total702Note: These records are maintained for internal management purposes only, as such they do not form part of any official record

Sentencing: Appeals

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Attorney General, whether he has any plans to review the categories of offences which are capable of referral to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of leniency.

Robert Buckland: The Government has committed to extending the scope of the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme and is carefully considering how best to do that. As a first step towards meeting that commitment, the Home Secretary has announced that the scheme would be extended to cover all terrorism cases heard in the Crown Court.

Private Prosecutions

Peter Kyle: To ask the Attorney General, what assessments he has made of the implications of the power of the (a) CPS to take over and drop private prosecutions and (b) courts to award costs against a person who initiated an unsuccessful private prosecution for the effective and equitable working of the justice system.

Robert Buckland: Parliament has specifically preserved the right of an individual to bring a private prosecution and at the same time given power to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to take over such prosecutions. The CPS will take over and drop a private prosecution where either the evidential or public interest stage of the test to prosecute set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors is not met. Full guidance can be found on its web-site: http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/private_prosecutions/ . The power to take over and stop a private prosecution is a safeguard against the right being used in circumstances where the test for a prosecution is not met. The decision to award costs against a private prosecutor is a matter for the court’s discretion depending on the circumstances of the case.

Department for International Development

Iraq: Armed Conflict

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps are being taken to attend to Iraqi civilians expected to be displaced as a result of a planned offensive on Mosul, Iraq.

Rory Stewart: On 21 September, the UK announced an extra £40 million of humanitarian funding to Iraq, taking our total commitment to £90 million this financial year and £169.5 million since June 2014. This new assistance will be targeted specifically to enable a scale up of humanitarian assistance ahead of the Government of Iraq-led Mosul operations. It will provide emergency life-saving assistance – such as food, shelter, medical and protection services – to civilians affected by Mosul operations, as well as continued support to displaced and vulnerable people across the country.

West Bank: Water Supply

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of restrictions of water supplies on the humanitarian situation in the West Bank.

Rory Stewart: The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs assessed in November 2015 that 400,000 people in the West Bank required humanitarian water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) assistance. UK officials are in regular dialogue with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, the UN, World Bank, EU and other development actors on this issue.DFID is funding UNICEF to lead on developing and updating the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) WASH Sector Contingency Plan at the national level. This brings together the Palestinian Water Authority and other partners to monitor the water situation in the OPTs and ensure preparedness and effective response in case of an emergency.

Lake Chad Basin: Armed Conflict

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in the Lake Chad basin.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to assist with humanitarian action in the Lake Chad basin; and what funds have been allocated to programmes in (a) Cameroon, (b) Chad, (c) Niger and (d) Nigeria that assist with such action.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) Chad, (b) Cameroon, (c) Niger and (d) Nigeria on the humanitarian situation in the Lake Chad basin.

James Wharton: We are deeply concerned about the scale of the humanitarian crisis across the Lake Chad Basin. This will require a sustained, multi-year response to support communities devastated by the conflict. The UK is scaling up our support.In addition to the £90 million of humanitarian assistance we are already delivering in the region, the UK has now pledged a further £80 million of humanitarian funding. £50 million will go towards meeting the needs of the worst affected communities in Nigeria with food assistance and access to essential household items and services, and £30 million to support those who have been affected by the spread of Boko Haram into Cameroon, Chad and Niger.HMG is using a range of opportunities to push our partners and governments across the region on scaling up and improving the quality of the response. This includes calling for a Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation which took place in July 2016; a joint demarche to the UN with the French and USA on the need to improve humanitarian capacity and performance in mid-August; chairing a Lake Chad Basin meeting in the margins of UN General assembly in September 2016, and ongoing high level bilateral meetings with UN officials.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Overseas Aid

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is offering the Democratic Republic of Congo to achieve peace and economic growth.

James Wharton: We remain concerned both by ongoing violent conflict in eastern DRC, and nationwide political tensions relating to democracy and human rights. Stability and economic growth are at the very heart of our strategy for the Great Lakes region, which is implemented by DFID, MoD and the Foreign Office. Politically, we are engaging at the highest levels, including via the UN and EU system, to seek a resolution to the current political impasse and conflict in eastern DRC.British Military officers and stabilisation experts are embedded in the UN peacekeeping mission in DRC, shaping a more agile force, better able to protect civilians. We fund an £80 million programme to build peace in eastern DRC by establishing a durable political settlement at regional and national levels and addressing root causes of conflict, such as land reform.The UK also supports economic growth and prosperity in DRC through a £100 million private sector development programme. The programme works with micro, small and medium enterprises to facilitate access to markets and raise incomes, and helps reform the broader business environment, making it more attractive to international investors.

Malawi: Overseas Aid

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to assist the government of Malawi with minimising the risk of corruption in the distribution of aid funds.

James Wharton: The UK does not provide any direct financial aid to the Government of Malawi. DFID has a zero tolerance approach to corruption and rigorous checks are in place to protect taxpayers' money.DFID has an active programme of work in Malawi designed to tackle the root causes of corruption and protect the poorest from its effects. Through support provided to the Malawian law enforcement agencies since 2013, the UK has helped to convict those guilty of corruption-related offences to a total of 125 years in prison. DFID is also working with the Government of Malawi to strengthen its public financial management systems and increase the accountability of public officials.

Malawi: Food Supply

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the effects of food shortages in Malawi.

James Wharton: The humanitarian situation in Malawi is concerning. Some 6.5 million people are currently assessed to be in need of food security assistance. The UK has acted quickly, responding with a commitment of £35 million, a significant proportion of which is aimed at the food and nutrition response. This includes logistics support through the World Food Programme to enable the delivery of food to 4.75 million people, and cash transfers through an International Non-Governmental Organisations consortium to enable over 250,000 of the most vulnerable to purchase food. The UK has provided emergency nutrition support, including screening for over 1 million children, and treatment of 100,000 emergency cases. As well as this immediate support the UK is working closely with other key actors to identify and progress ways to break the cycle of food insecurity in Malawi.

Israel: Palestinians

Mrs Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to support projects that encourage co-operation and co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians.

Rory Stewart: The UK is supportive of coexistence (people-to-people) programmes which bring together Palestinians and Israelis and foster inter-community understanding. The Secretary of State is currently assessing options for providing further support to coexistence programmes.

Ethiopia: Famine

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what diplomatic steps her Department is taking to assist Ethiopia with famine relief and support in dealing with drought.

James Wharton: Ethiopia is coming out of its worst drought for 30 years. At the peak of the crisis, over 18 million people (approximately 20% of the population) were in need of food assistance.The UK responded quickly and decisively to the humanitarian crisis and was the second largest bilateral donor. We have provided emergency support for 3.8 million people to date. Through the Government of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Nets Programme (PSNP), which boosts household food security for extremely poor and vulnerable people over five years, UK funds are supporting 1.7 million people in 2016.At the highest level, DFID and the FCO in Addis have undertaken diplomatic engagement and provided technical advice around the issue of chronic food insecurity with the Government of Ethiopia. My predecessor, Nick Hurd, met with Government of Ethiopia officials and committed to work together with the United Nations and others to assist them to cope with this crisis.

Ethiopia: Famine

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to assist Ethiopia with famine relief and support in dealing with draught.

James Wharton: Ethiopia is coming out of its worst drought for 30 years. At the peak of the crisis, over 18 million people (approximately 20% of the population) were in need of food assistance.The UK responded quickly and decisively to the humanitarian crisis and was the second largest bilateral donor. We have provided emergency support for 3.8 million people to date. Through the Government of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Nets Programme (PSNP), which boosts household food security for extremely poor and vulnerable people over five years, UK funds are supporting 1.7 million people in 2016. We will continue to provide support over the coming months, including through longer term programming which will help strengthen the Government of Ethiopia’s ability to cope with future climate shocks.

Developing Countries: Renewable Energy

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to increase investment in decentralised renewable energy to benefit the world's poorest people.

James Wharton: The UK Government is playing a leading role in improving energy access in developing countries. DFID has a range of programmes which are working with developing countries to ensure renewable energy markets work effectively as well as supporting energy businesses to grow, and providing consumers with access to funding to buy solar goods. For example, our Energy Access Ventures programme is investing in off-grid electric and we are delivering green mini-grid solutions across Africa.Through the UK Government’s Energy Africa campaign we are working with solar firms to help them access the finance they need to expand their businesses, create jobs and help reach millions of people in Africa without electricity access.

Middle East: Overseas Aid

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the potential pressure on its foreign aid budget from requirements for humanitarian aid within Syria and neighbouring countries.

Rory Stewart: My department has assessed the level of support needed to help those affected by the Syria crisis and allocated its budget accordingly. In response to the Syria crisis, the UK has committed £2.3 billion since 2012, making us the second largest humanitarian donor after the US. This includes £510 million for support to Syria and the region in 2015/2016 and a further £840 million that has been pledged for the coming years until 2020.

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of assistance funding to Afghanistan, announced by her Department on 2 October 2016, she estimates will be spent by Departments other than her own in each year to 2019-20.

Rory Stewart: On 2 October the Secretary of State announced that the UK would spend up to £750m in official development assistance (ODA) to Afghanistan to 2020, depending on Afghan government performance and security conditions.Of this, £700m is DFID ODA. The remaining £50m ODA will be spent through cross-government mechanisms including the Conflict, Security, and Stability Fund.

Department for Education

Pre-school Education: Finance

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government is considering the introduction of a floor level on the overall rate available through the Early Years National Funding Formula.

Caroline Dinenage: The Government is investing £1billion of additional funding per year in the early years free entitlements, including £300million per year to increase the national average funding rate. We are determined to allocate this record investment fairly and transparently and that is why we have consulted on an Early Years National Funding Formula. This consultation has now closed and we will respond in the Autumn.

Nurseries: Admissions

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what financial support the Government has made available for local authorities to commission new nursery places in the event of current providers  withdrawing or reducing their delivery of subsidised places.

Caroline Dinenage: The Government is committed to extending the free entitlement to childcare from 15 to 30 hours a week for working parents. We are clear that we need to get the funding right to ensure that providers are funded on a fair and sustainable basis. Our recent consultation set out our proposals to allocate our record level of funding fairly and transparently, with the maximum amount reaching providers. We will publish our response this autumn. We have recently made a substantial capital investment to support the creation of new 30 hours childcare places and our recently closed capital bid round made £40million available to local authorities working in partnership with providers in their area. We intend to announce successful project bids in mid-December 2016. We will also shortly be announcing the outcome of a competition to appoint a delivery contractor, who will provide support to ensure that all local authorities are ready to deliver the required number of free places in September 2017.

Children: Social Networking

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to educate parents and teachers of primary school-age children on the potentially damaging effect of social media on child and adolescent mental health.

Edward Timpson: Children and young people’s mental health is a priority for the Department and we recognise the importance of supporting parents and schools to help children use social media safely. To provide information to parents who are concerned about mental health the Department funded MindEd to set up a new site, MindEd for Families, which was launched earlier this year (http://minded.e-lfh.org.uk/families/index.html). This provides free on-line advice on a range of mental health issues affecting children and young people and includes a section on social media. Teachers can also find advice and training on mental health issues from the main MindEd site, which was funded by the Department of Health (https://www.minded.org.uk/). We are also continuing to provide funding to the YoungMinds parents helpline, a national service providing free, confidential online and telephony support, information and advice, to any parent/carer concerned with the emotional problems, behaviour or mental health of a child or young person up to the age of 25.   One of the risks to mental health from social media use is cyberbullying. The Department has produced guidance for parents and teachers on cyberbullying, which can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying. These contain advice and signpost further sources of detailed information and support – including for talking to children about social media use. We have also recently announced £4.4 million in funding for 10 projects to tackle bullying in schools. One of these is developing an online approach for reporting bullying to schools, including cyberbullying on social media. To reflect the importance of keeping children safe online, e-safety is covered at all key stages in the computing curriculum. Children are taught: how to use technology safely and respectfully; how to keep personal information private; and where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet, or other online technologies. Schools are also able to teach pupils about the use of social media and to learn strategies for keeping physically and emotionally safe, including safety online, as part of their Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education programme of study. The Department has issued statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’, which flags the potential safeguarding issues that school staff should be aware of, including online safety. The guidance clearly sets out the role all school staff have in safeguarding children and the actions staff should take if they have a concern about a child. As part of their induction all school staff should be provided safeguarding training, which should be regularly updated.

Pre-school Education: Finance

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to consider extending the transitional funding for maintained nurseries to include children's centres providing early years education as part of the Early Years National Funding Formula review.

Caroline Dinenage: The £55 million additional funding for maintained nursery schools for at least two years will provide them with stability while they explore how to become more sustainable in the longer term. We plan to consult the sector on the future of nursery schools in further detail, including what happens after this two year period, in due course. Children’s centres are funded through the Business Rates Retention Scheme and local authorities have the freedom to decide what services are appropriate to meet local needs. Our early years funding proposals, on which we recently consulted, are designed to maximise the funding that goes to the front-line, including children’s centres where they provide early education. We will issue our response later in the autumn.

Teachers: Labour Turnover

William Wragg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve rates of teacher recruitment and retention in schools in England.

Nick Gibb: At a national level we are retaining and recruiting the teachers we need. We recognise, however, that the strengthening economy and growth in pupil numbers have made the situation more challenging, and that this is more acute in certain subjects and particular schools or areas of the country. We have more teachers in our schools than ever before and the number of teachers has kept pace with changing numbers of pupils. The number of teachers in state-funded schools throughout England is up more than 15,000 since 2010. This year we have recruited more than 27,000 people to postgraduate teacher training programmes and we have exceeded our recruitment targets in a number of key subjects including biology, English, geography and history. We are spending over £1.3 billion up to 2020 to attract new teachers into the profession. We have funded the expansion of Teach First into every region of England; continued to fund targeted leadership programmes; and we are supporting schools to bring more former teachers back into the classroom. Latest statistics show that teacher retention one year after qualifying has remained stable at around 90% for the past two decades. We are actively addressing the key issues that evidence suggests cause teachers to consider leaving the profession, for example, by supporting schools to reduce unnecessary workload and improving behaviour management training for new teachers.

Basic Skills: Secondary Education

Amanda Solloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing life skills into secondary education.

Edward Timpson: We are clear that as part of schools’ duty to teach a broad and balanced curriculum, all young people should be provided with a curriculum that prepares them for success in adult life. High quality personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) teaching has a vital role to play in this, helping young people understand the world around them, building resilience and helping them to make good choices and stay safe. We have made it clear in the introduction to the national curriculum that all schools should make provision for high quality, age appropriate PSHE, drawing on examples of good practice. During the Education Select Committee hearing in September 2016, the Secretary of State agreed that we need to look again at how schools deliver high quality PSHE. We are considering all the options and will come to a view in due course..

Apprentices

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 11 of the National Audit Office's report on delivering value through the apprenticeships programme published on 6 September 2016, what steps she is taking to increase the number of apprenticeships to deliver maximum gains for UK economic productivity.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 46284, what assessment she has made of the effect of apprenticeship standards on the productivity and growth of the UK economy.

Robert Halfon: Apprenticeships are a crucial way to develop the skills needed by employers. There is strong evidence that apprenticeships are already a good prospect for investment in terms of returns to individuals, to businesses and to Government. For each pound the Government invests in Level 2 and Level 3 adult apprenticeships, we receive economic benefits of £26 and £28 respectively over the rest of the learners’ working lives. By increasing the quality and quantity of apprenticeships to reach our commitment of 3 million starts in England by 2020, our goal is to secure greater benefits for more apprentices, employers and our economy. To increase numbers and improve access, we are focussing the work of the National Apprenticeships Service on communicating the benefits, and building strong relationships with a wider range of employers and intermediaries. The 2020 Vision sets out the key elements of our strategy to further address skills shortages and stimulate economic growth through reforms to apprenticeships. . Our strategy gives employers the opportunity to develop new apprenticeship standards to meet the skills needs of their sector. By increasing the relevance and quality of apprenticeships and developing the skills of workers, standards will ensure employers have the opportunity to develop and access the skills they need. We are focusing development of apprenticeship standards where employers identify a skills need and demand exists, subject to suitability. In giving employers this freedom, we have seen increased appetite for standards at higher levels, where we know they add the most value. We have also seen standards developed in sectors where they have not been used before, ensuring the benefits are felt across the economy.

GCSE

Will Quince: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the trends in the level of uptake of (a) creative, (b) artistic and (c) technical subjects at GCSE since June 2015.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education does not define GCSE subjects as ‘technical’ or ‘creative’. Provisional information on the proportion of pupils entered for at least one arts GCSE between 2009/10 and 2015/16 is published as part of the ‘Provisional GCSE and equivalent results in England’ statistical first release (SFR)[1]. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gcse-and-equivalent-results-2015-to-2016-provisional (Table 1c)

Curriculum

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she and officials in her Department have had with experienced teaching staff on the design of the new KS2 curriculum.

Nick Gibb: The review of the National Curriculum was launched on 20 January 2011. During the review, more than 360 individuals were directly consulted in the process of developing the draft programmes of study for all subjects. This included teachers and head teachers and a full list is published on the National Archive website: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130904084023/https:/media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/l/lists%20of%20commentators%20-%20final.pdf During the review of the National Curriculum, the Department ran a consultation which covered the Government’s proposals relating to a number of elements of the framework for the National Curriculum in England, including changes to the programmes of study and attainment targets for Key Stage 2. The consultation attracted over 17,000 submissions from a wide range of respondents including head teachers and teachers. The new programmes of study were published in September 2013 and have been taught in maintained schools from September 2014.

GCSE: Children in Care

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of looked-after children in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey, (c) the South East and (d) the UK have achieved at least five GCSEs at grade A* to C in each year since 2010.

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of looked-after children in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey, (c) the South East and (d) the UK have studied A-Levels in each year since 2010.

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of looked-after children in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey, (c) the South East and (d) the UK have participated in higher education in each year since 2010.

Edward Timpson: The proportion of looked after children who obtained five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C in each year are given in the table below. There were multiple methodological changes in 2014, and further changes in 2015, meaning that figures for 2014 and 2015 are not comparable with earlier years. Percentage of children who have been looked after continuously for at least twelve months1 achieving at least five GCSEs at grades A* to C at key stage 42 201032011201220132014420155Surrey31.538.921.325.015.920.7South East24.827.029.932.115.317.6England28.833.537.237.216.518.3   1. Children looked after continuously for at least 12 months as at 31 March excluding those in respite care. Only children who are matched to key stage 4 data are included.2. Figures for 2015 are based on amended data. Figures for all other years are based on final data.3. 2010 figures may have been subject to some minor revisions since their publication which have not been taken into account.4. There were multiple methodological changes in 2014. The Wolf review restricted the qualifications included, prevented any qualification from counting as larger than one GCSE, and capped the number of non-GCSE qualification included in performance measures at two per pupil. The early entry policy meant that for exams in English Baccalaureate subjects (English, mathematics, science, a language, and history or geography) sat after 29 September 2013, the results from a pupil's first attempt at the exam was counted, rather than their best.5. Early entry policy extended to all subjects.  Information on looked after children who were studying A-levels could only be produced at disproportionate cost. The proportion of eligible care leavers who were in higher education in each year are given in the table below. Please note that for 2010 to 2013, figures are based on all young people aged 19 years old, who were looked after on 1 April 2007 to 2010, then aged 16 years old, whereas for 2014 onwards, figures are based on young people aged 19 to 21 years old who were looked after for at least 13 weeks, which began after they had reached the age of 16. Figures for 2014 to 2016 are therefore not comparable with earlier years. Percentage of care leavers who were in higher education1 20102201122012220132201432015320163,4Surreyxxxx6x.South East654344.England76766671. Figures exclude children who were looked after under an agreed series of short term placements, those who have died since leaving care, and those who have returned home to parents or someone with parental responsibility for a continuous period of at least six months.2. Between 2010 and 2013, data was collected for 19 year olds only who were looked after aged 16.3. The care leavers cohort changed in 2014 along with the addition of collecting data for 20 and 21 year olds. Figures for 2014 to 2016 are based on young people aged 19 to 21 years old who were looked after for at least 13 weeks which began after they had reached the age of 14 and ended after they had reached the age of 16. Due to the change in cohort, data for 2014 should be treated with caution, and comparisons with earlier years should not be made.4. Local authority and regional figures for 2016 have not yet been published. x Figures not shown in order to protect confidentiality  Information for the whole of the UK is not covered by the Department. Percentages for England have been included. Constituency level information for looked after children is not collected by the Department. All information is taken from looked after children statistical first releases, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-looked-after-children.

Schools: Hospitals

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how existing schools embedded in hospitals for pupils with medical needs will be supported financially if planned changes to the commissioning of alternative provision proceed; and if she will make a statement.

Edward Timpson: We will announce more detail on the funding for alternative provision under the new commissioning arrangements in due course. We are mindful of the diverse range of provision which comes under the banner of alternative provision, and the particular logistical and geographical issues related to hospital schools.

GCSE: Disadvantaged

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of children who receive free school meals in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey, (c) the South East and (d) the UK have achieved at least five GCSEs at grades A*-C in each year since 2010.

Edward Timpson: Information on the percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals and achieved five GCSEs at grades A*- C, in each local authority area and at regional level in England for each of the last six years is published as part of the GCSE and equivalent results, and the attainment by pupil characteristics statistical first releases (SFRs)[1] [2]. Parliamentary constituency level information is not available. The Department for Education produces statistics on England only. The responsibility for education statistics in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales lies with each devolved administration. [1] KS4 SFR 2014/15: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/493475/SFR01_2016_LA_Tables.xlsx (Table LA8) [2] KS4 SFR: Years: 2009/10 to 2013/14: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gcse-and-equivalent-attainment-by-pupil-characteristics-2014 (table 5)

Vocational Guidance

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps she has taken to ensure that children have access to professional careers advice in schools.

Robert Halfon: Providing young people with the right information at the right time is key to ensuring every young person goes as far as their talents will take them. This is why we are investing £90 million over this Parliament to ensure that every young person has equal access to the life-changing advice and inspiration they need to fulfil their potential and succeed in life. This includes £20 million to increase the number of mentors from the world of work, supporting 25,000 young people a year by 2020. We also fund the National Careers Service, which received £77 million in 2016/17, to provide careers advice to young people via the National Contact Centre and the National Careers Service website. The vast majority of people (87%) were happy with the service they received using the website. We need to make available the support to help young people negotiate this information and to help guide them through the decision-making process. Maintained schools must ensure that pupils receive independent careers advice and that this is presented in an impartial manner; includes information on the range of education or training options and promotes the best interests of the pupils to whom it is given. We know that pupils can gain confidence and motivation from the opportunity to explore career ideas through individual, face-to-face discussions with a range of people, including careers professionals. We trust schools to know what is best for their pupils and to tailor what they offer and who delivers it.

GCE A-level: Disadvantaged

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of children who receive free school meals in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey, (c) the South East and (d) the UK have studied A-Levels in each year since 2010.

Edward Timpson: The requested information on children who receive free school meals at A-Level in England is not held by the Department. The Department for Education produces statistics on England only. The responsibility for education statistics in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales lies with each devolved administration.

Welsh Language: Education

Chris Elmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to facilitate the learning of the Welsh language by pupils in England.

Nick Gibb: Primary and secondary schools can choose to teach the Welsh language to pupils if there is sufficient demand. It is possible for a pupil in England to take privately a Welsh language GCSE offered in Wales if an examination centre is willing to enter them. This will include a revised Welsh Second Language GCSE available for first teaching from September 2017.

Teachers: Languages

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44304, what information her Department holds on the number of language graduates who have entered the teaching profession in each of the last six years.

Nick Gibb: The information is not held in the format requested. Table 6a of the Initial Teacher Training Performance Profiles details the employment outcomes within six months of being awarded Qualified Teacher Status of those who were trained to teach modern and ancient foreign languages. This includes employment in all sectors: state, independent and sector not known. The data is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/initial-teacher-training-performance-profiles-2014-to-2015

Department for Education: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by her Department are non-UK nationals.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many foreign workers her Department employs.

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of staff on the payroll of her Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of her Department.

Caroline Dinenage: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. However, there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Apprentices

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 46284, on apprentices, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the new standards are developed in areas where skills shortages exist in the economy.

Robert Halfon: Employers are already designing high-quality apprenticeships across a range of occupations to meet their skills needs. More than 1,400 employers are involved with 260 new apprenticeships standards already published and more than 180 are in development.Employers are in the best position to determine the skills they need and we will work with them as the Apprenticeship Levy is introduced, and as the wider approach to the Industrial Strategy is developed, to ensure their needs are met and more opportunities are created for apprentices of all ages and from all backgrounds.

Schools: Finance

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that the introduction of a new national funding formula will prioritise schools in disadvantaged areas for the allocation of funding.

Nick Gibb: The national funding formula will ensure that all children, whatever their background, are supported to achieve their full potential. Children from deprived backgrounds will attract funding in addition to the basic per pupil amount so that they get the extra help they need to succeed. We will also continue to provide targeted funding through the pupil premium, worth £2.5 billion this year. We proposed in the first stage of the national funding formula consultation to use a combined pupil-and area-level deprivation measure in the formula to best identify those children and schools that need additional support. We will put forward our detailed proposals in the next stage of consultation later this year.

Schools: Standards

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which 20 secondary schools have had the biggest improvement in GCSE results over the last 15 years.

Nick Gibb: There is not a consistent metric to measure school performance at Key Stage 4 over this time period. However, the data showing the performance of schools in each of the last 15 years as measured at the time is available at the download data page of the “Compare school and college” website[1]. [1] https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/download-data

Vocational Guidance

Craig Tracey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to make available data which sets out the results achieved from the Careers and Enterprise Company investment for pupils in secondary schools and colleges.

Robert Halfon: The Careers & Enterprise Company is making excellent progress and is having a real impact across the country by linking schools and colleges with employers and providers of careers and enterprise activities. The Company is delivering lasting, powerful connections between local businesses and nearby schools and colleges through its Enterprise Adviser Network. The Company has already appointed 78 Enterprise Coordinators and almost 1,200 advisers. Over 900 schools and colleges (in 37 out of 38 Local Enterprise Partnership areas in England) have been helped to develop better careers and enterprise programmes for their pupils. In addition, the Company has launched its £5 million careers and enterprise fund to boost provision for nearly 250,000 young people across England in 75% of ‘cold spot’ areas. It has also launched a £12 million Mentoring Investment Fund to scale-up mentoring and tackle disengagement across England. Details of the Company’s achievements and progress are summarised in their first annual report published in June this year. The report can be found here: https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/posts/careers-enterprise-company-first-annual-review-published

Migrant Workers

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent progress her Department has made on the consultation into how the proceeds of the immigration skills charge should be spent.

Robert Halfon: The income raised from the Immigration Skills Charge will support the provision of skills for the resident population, to address the skills gaps that employers face. The amount of funding generated will depend on employer use of the Tier 2 route. Further information will be set out in due course.

European Institute for Gender Equality

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Institute for Gender Equality after the UK leaves the EU.

Caroline Dinenage: The negotiations we are about to undertake will include our relationship with a wide range of EU organisations and institutions, the European Institute for Gender Equality being one of them. How we take these various relationships forward will be a matter for discussion with the EU institutions and our European partners.

Educational Excellence Everywhere Consultation Paper

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will estimate the cost to the public purse of the Educational Excellence Everywhere White Paper consultation document.

Caroline Dinenage: The white paper set out our plans to deliver Educational Excellence Everywhere: so that every child and young person would be able to access world class provision, achieving to the best of his or her ability regardless of location, prior attainment and background. The white paper built on previous reforms which continue the historic devolution of power from local and central government to the best school leaders, providing not just autonomy, but also the support where it is needed to enable the school-led system to spread excellence across the country. The white paper proposed far reaching structural reform of our education system and many of the reforms and policies contained were funded by existing budgets announced in the 2015 Spending Review. For this reason my department has not separately made an estimate of the overall cost of the white paper. Alongside the publication of the White Paper, Budget 2016[1] announced funding for a number of the policies set out in the document, in particular an additional £640million across the Spending Review period, on top of the Department’s Spending Review settlement, to pay for school reform.[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/budget-2016-documents

Department for Education: Apprentices

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many level 2 apprenticeships have been available in her Department in each year since 2010; how many such apprenticeships were completed in full; and how many such apprentices subsequently progressed to level 3 or above.

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many level 3 apprenticeships have been available in her Department in each year since 2010; how many such apprenticeships were completed in full; and how many such apprentices subsequently progressed to level 4 or above.

Robert Halfon: The table below shows numbers of apprentices in the Department for Education in each financial year since 2009/10.Financial YearNumber of Apprentices in DfELevel2009/201019All Level 32010/201112all Levels 2 and 32011/20120 2012/201332all Levels 2 and 32013/201415all Level 42014/20153420 Level 4 14 Levels 2 and 32015/166448 Level 4 16 Levels 2 and 3 The Level 4 apprentices were all from the Civil Service Fast-track apprenticeship scheme, which lasts at least two years. The Level 2 and Level 3 apprentices were recruited directly by the Department.The Department does not hold information about progression between levels or numbers completing apprenticeships.

Department for Education: Consultants

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many times her Department has used the services of Denford Associates in each of the last five financial years; what work was so undertaken; and what the cost to the public purse was on each such occasion.

Caroline Dinenage: The Department’s financial systems have no record of Denford Associates as a supplier, and it has not made any payments to them in the last five financial years.

Pre-school Education: Finance

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of disparities in funding for early-years education across England; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Dinenage: This Government recognises that the current funding system for three- and four-year-olds creates unfair and unjustifiable differences between local areas, and between types of providers. This is why we have recently consulted on our proposals for a national funding formula for the early years. Our proposals will ensure that funding for the early years is based on the costs of meeting the needs of local children, not on historic spending patterns. It is vital that funding is fairly distributed between different parts of the country and different types of providers, so that providers can deliver both the existing 15-hour entitlement and the extended 30-hour entitlement for working parents, on a sustainable basis. We are currently considering all responses to the consultation, and are planning to publish the Government’s response in the autumn.

Digital Technology: Adult Education

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the announcement made by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 10 October 2016 that the Government plans to provide training in basic digital skills for adults, what funding her Department has allocated for that purpose; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Halfon: Through a new statutory duty, the Digital Economy Bill will enable the Secretary of State to ensure that, in England, an adult aged 19 or over, who is considered to lack basic digital skills and is studying for a relevant publicly funded digital skills qualification, will not be charged for that training. The costs will be met by the existing Adult Education Budget. The Adult Education Budget is £1.5 billion in 2016-17, with indicative projections remaining at this level up to 2019-20.

Teachers: Training

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and which schools are designated as teaching schools.

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) nursery schools, (b) primary, middle, secondary, all-through and special schools, (c) pupil referral units and short-stay schools, (d) faith schools, (e) independent schools, (f) academies, chains and free schools and (g) sixth-form colleges are designated as teaching schools.

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools currently designated as teaching schools were rated (a) good, (b) requires improvement, (c) inadequate and (d) special measures at their most recent Ofsted inspection.

Nick Gibb: As of 13 October 2016 there were 755 designated teaching schools. These schools are publicly accessible via GOV.UK at the following address: http://apps.nationalcollege.org.uk/s2ssd_new/ The table below details the number of teaching schools by sector and phase of education (a,b,c,e,g):Teaching schools by sector and phase:Nursery schools32Primary, Middle, Secondary, all-through and special703PRU and short-stay schools8Independent5Sixth Form Colleges7Total755  Of these 755 teaching schools, there are 425 academies or free schools (f) and 165 are faith schools (includes: Catholic, Christian, Church of England, Muslim, Roman Catholic) (d). The table below shows the number of teaching schools rated as ‘good’ or below at their most recent Ofsted inspection:Number of teaching schools split by most recent Ofsted judgement:Good21Requires improvement1Inadequate and special measures0 When a teaching school is judged by Ofsted to be ‘good’ (or less than good) its designation is reviewed. The review considers the capacity and expertise of the teaching school to maintain its designation balanced against its track record. The teaching school which is currently judged ‘requires improvement’ will be automatically de-designated in accordance with the published review of designation policy, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/543995/Teaching_schools_review_policy.pdf

Children: Care Homes

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on the development of regional commissioning of children's home placements for looked after children.

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on the proposal by Sir Martin Narey in his review of children's homes that local planning authorities include clear statements in their local plans about the level of housing need for children in children's homes.

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the independent review of children's residential care by Sir Martin Narey, published in July 2016, when she plans to set up the Residential Care Leadership Board recommended in that review.

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the independent review of children's residential care by Sir Martin Narey, published in July 2016, whether she plans a fundamental review of fostering recommended in that review.

Edward Timpson: In July 2016, my Department published ‘Putting Children First’, in which it set out the Government’s initial response to Sir Martin Narey’s review of residential care in England, including plans to invite local authorities to come together to bid to pilot new commissioning arrangements, and to undertake a national stocktake of foster care. The Department will respond more fully to Sir Martin’s review, and the other recommendations he makes, later in the autumn. ‘Putting Children First’ can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/554573/Putting_children_first_delivering_vision_excellent_childrens_social_care.pdf

Pre-school Education: Finance

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what distributional analysis her Department has conducted of changes to the early years funding formula; and what analysis her Department has made of which local authorities' funding will (a) increase and (b) decrease as a result of those changes.

Caroline Dinenage: The distributional impact of our proposed changes to funding for three- and four-year-olds on local authorities, and the knock-on impact that this may have on providers, can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/early-years-funding-changes-to-funding-for-3-and-4-year-olds Under the proposals on which we recently consulted, three quarters of local authorities would have higher hourly funding rates. No local authority would see reductions in their hourly funding rate of more than 10%, and only 12% of local authorities would see reductions of more than 5%. As a result of our proposals, indicatively, providers in the vast majority of local authorities can expect to see their average hourly funding rate increase. We are currently considering responses to the consultation.

Apprentices

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will discuss with her counterparts in the devolved institutions ways to ensure that young people across the UK receive a similar level of assistance in accessing apprenticeships.

Robert Halfon: Apprenticeships policy is a devolved matter and it is for the devolved administrations (DAs) of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to determine how they manage their own schemes. The DAs will have their own arrangements for supporting young people to access apprenticeships. Officials from the DAs and my Department will continue to consider any implications of reforms to apprenticeships in England for their own apprenticeship programmes.

Pre-school Education: Finance

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and which local authorities allocate additional quality supplements to childcare and early education providers.

Caroline Dinenage: Data from local authority planned spend for 2016-17 shows 67 local authorities have allocated funding through quality supplements to their early years providers. These local authorities include: Barking and DagenhamDevonLeicesterSeftonBath and North East SomersetDorsetLeicestershireShropshireBlackpoolDurhamLewishamSomersetBoltonEalingLiverpoolSouth TynesideBracknell ForestEast SussexManchesterSouthamptonBrighton and HoveHackneyMedwayStockton-on-TeesBristol City ofHampshireMilton KeynesSuffolkBromleyHaringeyNewhamSwindonCalderdaleHarrowNorfolkTraffordCambridgeshireHartlepoolNorth LincolnshireWaltham ForestCentral BedfordshireHaveringNorthamptonshireWest BerkshireCheshire EastHillingdonNottinghamWestminsterCheshire West and ChesterHounslowOldhamWiganCity of LondonIslingtonPooleWindsor and MaidenheadCornwallKentPortsmouthWirralCumbriaKnowsleyRochdaleWokinghamDerbyLambethSalford This data is as reported by the local authorities.

Pre-school Education

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and which local authorities offer more than 15 hours' free early education to three and four year-olds in (a) maintained nursery schools and nursery classes and (b) private, voluntary and independent childcare settings.

Caroline Dinenage: Data from local authority planned spend for 2016-17 shows 17 local authorities have reported providing additional hours above the current 15 hours entitlement for three and four year olds. Local authorities providing additional hours in maintained nursery schools, nursery class and private, voluntary and independent childcare settings include: Maintained Nursery Schools:Nursery Class:PVIs:BirminghamBirminghamCamdenBrentBrentGreenwichCamdenBuryHackneyGreenwichCamdenHackneyGreenwichHaringeyHackneyIslingtonHaringeyKensington and ChelseaKensington and ChelseaLambethLambethLewishamLewishamNottinghamNottinghamSurreyRedcar and ClevelandWandsworthWandsworthWestminsterWarwickshire Westminster This data is as reported by the local authorities.

Ministry of Justice

Terrorism

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what obligations the Government places on police and crime commissioners to commission local victims' services to meet the specific and ongoing needs of British (a) nationals and (b) residents who have been direct victims or witnesses of a terrorist attack in the UK or abroad.

Dr Phillip Lee: This Government is committed to ensuring that victims of terrorism can access effective and timely support to help them cope, and as far as possible, recover from the trauma they have experienced. This year we have given Police and Crime Commissioners grant funding of nearly £68m to provide emotional and practical support services for all victims of crime, including victims of terrorism, who reside within their area. Witnesses in the criminal justice system, including witnesses of terrorist attacks, are also entitled to support as set out under the Witness Charter for England and Wales. These entitlements are currently being met through the nationally commissioned court based witness service.

Companies: Disclosure of Information

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans she has to allow commercial companies access to sensitive information held by other government departments and agencies on the proposed enforcement purposes of those companies.

Sir Oliver Heald: Ministers have outlined their programme of work to improve the courts in the ‘Transforming our Justice System’ document and consultation published on 15 September. As part of this work we will be considering how we can improve the civil enforcement process.

Debt Collection

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reason her Department has invited private sector companies to tender for work currently carried out by its civilian enforcement officers.

Dr Phillip Lee: HMCTS are considering a range of options about how best to deliver this service. The tender process will allow HMCTS to make informed decisions about what is in the best interests of the service and the taxpayer. No decision on the way forward for the Civilian Enforcement Office role has been made at the current time.

Civil Servants: Codes of Practice

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reason the Civil Service Code does not apply to those undertaking public sector work for her Department in the private sector.

Sir Oliver Heald: The Civil Service Code only applies to Civil Servants. There is however a contractual expectation that privately contracted services are carried out in line with Ministry of Justice principles and policy.

Asylum: Appeals

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to increase capacity at the Asylum and Immigration Chamber.

Sir Oliver Heald: The First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) is administered by HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS). HMCTS have provided an additional 4,500 tribunal sitting days for this financial year compared to 2015/16. HMCTS keeps performance and resource levels under close review.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of potential measures to make access to courts (a) easier and (b) substantially faster for a landowner seeking to get an order to evict travellers.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will consider the potential merits of introducing legislative proposals to reduce the notice period for a landowner who has secured a court order to evict travellers from 48 to 12 hours.

Sir Oliver Heald: The accelerated procedure for obtaining a possession order to evict trespassers (which may include travellers) is set out in the Civil Procedure Rules, Part 55. There is no notice period once a landowner has obtained an order to evict. The standard order for a successful claim for possession would be an order for immediate possession. The Government does not consider that the process requires change.

Family Courts: Domestic Violence

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in what proportion of child contact cases presided over by the family judiciary in each year since 2010, where there was an allegation of domestic abuse, either party were litigants in person.

Dr Phillip Lee: This information is not held centrally.

Offences against Children

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on how many times provisions under Section 67 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 have been used to convict people in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Scotland.

Sir Oliver Heald: We do not hold statistics on the number of offenders found guilty under Section 67 of the Serious Crime Act 2015, as the offence has yet to be commenced.

Offences against Children: Victims and Witnesses

William Wragg: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what safeguards are in place to protect the privacy of victims and witnesses in historic sex abuse cases.

Dr Phillip Lee: Victims of specific sexual offences, including historical sex abuse cases, are automatically provided with lifetime anonymity, by way of reporting restrictions, from the point of complaint. Anonymity is granted in recognition of the nature of the offence against them and to encourage other victims to come forward.

Arrest Warrants

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many arrest warrants were issued for defendants who failed to attend court in each year since 2010.

Sir Oliver Heald: The number of arrest warrants issued for defendants who failed to attend court in England and Wales for the period 2010 to 2014, the latest data available, can be viewed in the table below.Number of Failure to Appear (FTA) Warrants received (1) in England and Wales, 2010- 2014. YearTotal warrants issued201093,473201188,7882012 (2)72,819201370,2252014 (3)70,016  (1) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from live systems used by police forces principally for operational reasons. As such, they are subject to change over time. For these reasons, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.(2) West Midlands constabulary are unable to supply any FTA warrant data from 1 April 2012.(3) Lincolnshire Police were unable to supply any data for Q4 of 2014 because of technical issues related to the introduction of a new warrant management system. Data presented are for the first three quarters of 2014 only. Notes:These data are reported to the Ministry of Justice by police forces. As such, they are not directly comparable with other data presented in the Criminal Statistics bulletin, which are returned directly from administrative data systems used by magistrates' courts and the Crown Court.

Prison Sentences: Wales

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many male offenders aged under 21 were sentenced to immediate custody in courts in each police force area in Wales in each year from 2010 to 2016; and what the custody rate for indictable offences was during that period.

Dr Phillip Lee: The number of male offenders aged over 10 and under 21 sentenced to immediate custody, and the custody rate for indictable offences, at all courts in Wales, by police service area, from 2010 to 2015, is provided in the table below.Male offenders aged under 21 sentenced at all courts to immediate custody for all offences, and custody rate for indictable offences, by police area, Wales, 2010 to 2015 (1)(2) YearPolice AreaImmediate custodyCustody rate for Indictable offences (3)2010North Wales25165% Gwent17664% South Wales56772% Dyfed Powys6758%2011North Wales18877% Gwent15160% South Wales48072% Dyfed Powys6767%2012North Wales16683% Gwent16973% South Wales34368% Dyfed Powys4663%2013North Wales12163% Gwent12683% South Wales31266% Dyfed Powys4189%2014North Wales10454% Gwent13377% South Wales31566% Dyfed Powys5756%2015North Wales10759% Gwent10450% South Wales28059% Dyfed Powys4740% 2010Total Wales1,06168%201188670%201272473%201360069%201460965%201553857%(1) The sentence shown is the most severe sentence given for the principal offence (i.e. the principal sentence), secondary sentences given for the principal offence and sentences for non-principal offences are not counted in the tables.(2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.(3) The proportion of offenders sentenced for indictable offences who are sentenced to immediate custody. Statistics for 2016 are not currently available, but will be published in due course.

Arrest Warrants: Sexual Offences

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many arrest warrants have been issued for people sentenced for a serious sexual offence who failed to appear in court for sentencing in each year since 2010.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Data on Failure to Appear (FTA) warrants collected by the Ministry of Justice includes information on the category of warrant but does not include information on the specific offence for which the defendant is being sought. This information has been provided in response to Parliamentary Question 47082.It would not be possible to separately identify those defendants for whom a warrant was issued in connection with failing to appear in court for a sexual offence without incurring disproportionate cost.

Claims Management Services

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to tackle illegitimate and fraudulent activity by claims handling companies.

Sir Oliver Heald: Tackling bad practices by claims management companies (CMCs) is a priority for the Government. Action already taken includes the removal of over a thousand CMC licenses since 2010 and the issuing of over £2 million in fines. Collaborative work between the Claims Management Regulation Unit and other regulators has resulted in the successful disruption and prosecution of criminal operations by CMCs engaged in fraudulent and illegitimate claims.

Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department plans to conduct a three and five year post-implementation review of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the one-year post-implementation review of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 has been completed; and if she will make the outcome of that review available to hon. Members.

Sir Oliver Heald: The Ministry of Justice is finalising the one year post implementation review of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 and a decision will be made about publication in due course. It is considering the further reviews.

Offences against Children

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2016 to Question 44657, for what reasons the commencement of Section 67 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 has not yet taken place.

Sir Oliver Heald: The Government remains committed to commencing section 67 of the Serious Crime Act 2015. We are continuing to consider its implementation carefully whilst also considering our other justice priorities.

Ministry of Justice: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of staff on the payroll of her Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Dr Phillip Lee: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.

Ministry of Justice: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of her Department.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Ministry of Justice does not employ cleaning staff. Cleaning of the Ministry of Justice’s estate is outsourced. The contract requires that all contracted staff have undergone the necessary pre-employment checks and have the right to work in the UK.

Family Courts: Domestic Violence

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2016 to Question 43488, what the reason is for the discrepancy between the figure provided in that answer and data in recent research published by Women's Aid on 13 September 2016 on the proportion of survivors of domestic abuse that had access to a separate waiting room in the family court.

Dr Phillip Lee: These two pieces of data are not comparable. Question 43488 refers to the Crown and Magistrates’ courts specifically, and family courts were not included. We are clear that security in the family courts is taken extremely seriously and we have robust arrangements in place to protect court users.

Small Claims

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what preparatory work is currently underway in her Department on the consultation on increasing the small claims limit from £1,000 to £5,000.

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to paragraph 3.103 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, when her Department plans to launch the consultation on increasing the small claims limit from £1,000 to £5,000.

Sir Oliver Heald: Ministers are considering this issue and the Government will bring forward proposals in the coming months.

Gender Recognition

Kevin Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has plans to bring forward proposals to amend the legislation requiring statutory declarations to be dated within six months of the date of the Gender Recognition Certificate application.

Dr Phillip Lee: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to PQ 44155.

Debt Collection

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans her Department has for civilian enforcement officers within the context of its plans to outsource work to the private sector.

Dr Phillip Lee: HMCTS are considering a range of options about how best to deliver this service. The tender process will allow HMCTS to make informed decisions about what is in the best interests of the service and the taxpayer. No decision on the way forward for the Civilian Enforcement Office role has been made at the current time.

Ministry of Justice: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of the staff employed by her Department are non-UK nationals.

Dr Phillip Lee: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.

Prisons: Drugs

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the relationship between the use of (a) illegal drugs and (b) legal high in prisons and incidents of violence against prison staff.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Prisons should be places of safety and reform. Improving safety and decreasing violence is an urgent priority for the Government.The increase in psychoactive substances in prisons has contributed to a rise in prison violence, making offenders more volatile and their reactions more difficult to judge and manage.We have introduced legislation to restrict the supply and possession of psychoactive substances in prisons, and put in place new penalties for possession of a psychoactive substance in custody. Following a successful trial in 34 prisons over the summer, we have introduced an innovative new programme of mandatory drug testing for psychoactive substances in all prisons.We will be setting out our plans for prison safety and reform in more detail, including our plans to reduce prison violence, in a White Paper in the coming weeks.

Prisoners: Rehabilitation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of people rehabilitated in UK prisons.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The government is committed to making prisons in England and Wales places of safety and reform.We have already taken steps to reform the prison estate to make it more efficient, safer and focused on supporting offenders coming out of prison to be better able to find work, better able to support their families and less likely to re-offend. We have invested £10m of new funding to support governors in improving prison safety, are investing a further £14 million to provide more than 400 extra staff in in ten prisons to allow staff more time to supervise and support prisoners. Alongside that, we have established six Reform Prisons to trial what significantly greater freedoms for governors can achieve. We are investing £1.3bn to reform and modernise the prison estate.We will set out full details of our plan for prison safety and reform in a White Paper in the coming weeks.

Prisons: Drugs

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the levels of the use of (a) illegal drugs and (b) legal highs in prisons in the UK in each of the last 5 years.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Prisons should be places of safety and reform. The increase in psychoactive substances in prisons has contributed to a rise in prison violence, making offenders more volatile and their reactions more difficult to judge and manage. Improving safety and decreasing violence is an urgent priority for the Government.We have introduced legislation to restrict the supply and possession of psychoactive substances in prisons, and put in place new penalties for possession of a psychoactive substance in custody. Following a successful trial in 34 prisons over the summer, we have introduced an innovative new programme of mandatory drug testing for psychoactive substances in all prisons.Mandatory Drug Testing (MDT) figures for prisons in England and Wales are published by financial year on gov.uk. MDT for psychoactive substances began in September 2016 and figures will be published in due course.

Special Educational Needs: Tribunals

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44395, where in the Tribunals and Gender Recognition Statistics Quarterly if the number of special educational needs and disability tribunals for each year is published.

Sir Oliver Heald: The number of cases lodged with the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) is published by the Ministry of Justice in the ‘Tribunals and Gender Recognition Statistics Quarterly’ on gov.uk, in ‘Main tables (April to June 2016)’.

Anti-slavery Day

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans she has for her Department to (a) acknowledge and (b) celebrate Anti-Slavery Day 2016; and if she will make a statement.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Ministry of Justice continues to support cross-government work to tackle modern slavery and will support Home Office plans for Anti-Slavery Day 2016 through social media.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

European Capital of Culture

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether bids can continue to be made by British cities to become European capital of culture after the vote to leave the EU.

Matt Hancock: DCMS is currently reviewing the impact of the referendum result on the UK’s ability to participate in this competition, and will provide clarity to all interested cities once we are in a position to do so.

Arts: Sponsorship

William Wragg: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage corporate sponsorship of the arts at a  local level.

Matt Hancock: We believe strongly in public investment in culture. As well as core Exchequer and lottery funding, government supports culture through tax breaks and encourages philanthropy and volunteering. The UK arts sector has a unique mixed funding model and it makes good business sense for cultural bodies to continue to look to diversify their revenue streams. There are many cultural organisations outside London who are successfully building long term relationships with corporate donors and sponsors for mutual benefit. In the Culture White Paper government committed to talking more about the mutual benefits of such partnerships, and how they make a difference to cultural organisations and to public life. DCMS with Arts Council England recently commissioned work from the Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy Programme with Brunswick Arts to provide insight into how the current corporate sponsorship landscape in England has changed in recent years, including at the local level. The findings will be published later this year. Arts Council England have commissioned a new Private Investment in Culture Survey, to explore the current state of private philanthropy, including from corporate sources. This is due for publication later this year. They have also invested in programmes such as the Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy programme and Catalyst Evolve to support skills development across England including corporate engagement and to attract more private giving including through corporate sponsorship.

Gun Sports: North York Moors National Park

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding Sport England provided for the development of shooting huts within the North York Moors National Park Authority in each year since 2010-11.

Tracey Crouch: Sport England has provided no funding for the development of shooting huts within the North York Moors National Park Authority.

Broadband

Tom Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether BT contributed funding to the phase 1 roll-out of superfast broadband.

Matt Hancock: BT made a total capital commitment for Phase 1 of the programme of £348 million.

Broadband: Northern Ireland

Tom Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what BT's commercial investment was in broadband roll-out in Northern Ireland; and how that money was invested.

Matt Hancock: BDUK do not hold information on BT's commercial investment in broadband roll-out in Northern Ireland.

Technology

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what research her Department has undertaken or assessment on links between the use of technology and (a) human behaviour and (b) productivity.

Matt Hancock: DCMS commissioned the UK Broadband Impact Study from SQW consultants, formerly known as Segal Quince Wicksteed, in 2013, which examined the impact of broadband rollout on the UK economy. The Link can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/257006/UK_Broadband_Impact_Study_-_Impact_Report_-_Nov_2013_-_Final.pdf

Olympic Games

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to build on the achievements of Team GB at the Rio Olympics 2016; and if she will make a statement.

Tracey Crouch: Team GB and ParalympicsGB reached new heights in Rio, with a best ever away Olympics and a London-beating Paralympic medal count. But this success is also about more than medals. Since 2012 UK Sport funded athletes have given back over 18,000 days visiting schools and local projects as part of our commitment to inspire the next generation, in a scheme that will extend through through the Tokyo cycle. We will continue, via UK Sport, to ensure that elite athletes have the opportunity to fulfil their potential on the Olympic and Paralympic stages, and we remain equally committed to getting more people from every background involved in sport and physical activity, supporting initiatives that enable more people to play, watch and volunteer in sport.

Broadband

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey, (c) the South East and (d) the UK do not yet have access to broadband speed of at least 2MBps.

Matt Hancock: Ofcom provides a local authority and postcode analysis of availability, most recently in their Connected Nations 2015 report at https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/infrastructure-research/connected-nations-2015/downloads, which gave a rounded figure for Surrey of 0% of premises unable to receive 2Mbit/s in summer 2015. Ofcom's corresponding UK figure was 2% of premises. Since then, the Government's Better Broadband Subsidy Scheme has been made available at http://basicbroadbandchecker.culture.gov.uk/ if customers cannot access an affordable broadband service with a speed of at least 2 Mbit/s.

Broadband

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey, (c) the South East and (d) the UK have received access to superfast broadband through government programmes since May 2010.

Matt Hancock: Approximately 2,487 premises in the Woking constituency and 77,141 premises in Surrey have received access to superfast broadband through the Superfast Broadband Programme. Over 4 million premises across the UK have received access through the programme. BDUK does not measure coverage at regional level.

Broadband

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will provide additional support for broadband provision to difficult to reach properties in (a) rural and (b) urban areas which have not been provided with access under the universal service obligation to date and where Openreach fibre roll-out has been delayed for more than a year.

Matt Hancock: Reliable, fast broadband is now seen as an essential service, not a nice-to-have. We are introducing a new broadband Universal Service Obligation in this Parliament to ensure that everyone can benefit from improved broadband connectivity. Premises in hard to reach areas, not served by commercial or existing publicly funded broadband roll outs, will have the legal right to request a broadband connection with speeds of at least 10 Megabits, no matter where they live or work.

Public Service Broadcasting

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support her Department has provided to public service broadcasting of UK minority languages; and if she will make a statement.

Matt Hancock: The BBC Charter Review has recently considered the BBC’s contribution to minority language broadcasting. A clearer commitment to each minority language has been included in the draft BBC Framework Agreement, setting out the need for the BBC to continue to deliver output in Welsh, Gaelic, the Irish language and Ulster-Scots. There is also a new commitment for the BBC to continue their partnership with MG Alba for the next 11 years and arrangements for continued partnership with S4C are also in place. The Government provides Exchequer funding to S4C - in 2015-16 this was £6.782 million. The Government also provides £3 million p.a. to the Irish Language Broadcasting Fund and £1 million p.a. to the Ulster-Scots Broadcasting Fund which are administered via Northern Ireland Screen.

BBC: Scotland

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent meetings (a) she and (b) her officials have had with (i) MG ALBA and (ii) the BBC to discuss BBC ALBA.

Matt Hancock: The Department has engaged in an active discussion with a number of stakeholders on MG ABLA throughout the Charter Review Process. There is a new commitment for the BBC in the Framework agreement to continue their partnership with MG Alba for the next 11 years - something that has been enshrined in the Agreement for the first time. In addition, the BBC can be held to account for delivering on this commitment to the Scottish Parliament.

Television: Irish Language

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the funding provided by the Government to the BBC or to bodies co-funded by the BBC for Gaelic language television programming was in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16; and what her Department's forecast is for the future level of such funding.

Matt Hancock: There is a successful partnership between the BBC and MG Alba for the funding and delivery of Gaelic language broadcasting through the BBC Alba television channel. Decisions about the levels of licence fee funding and number of hours for individual nation’s services are editorial matters for the BBC.

Broadband: Northern Ireland

Tom Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the proportion of households in Northern Ireland with access to superfast broadband.

Matt Hancock: At the end of Phase 1 (March 2016) 82% of premises in Northern Ireland had access to superfast broadband. This will increase to just under 87% following Phase 2 (December 2017). The Northern Ireland Broadband Improvement Project team is taking forward a contract change request to extend coverage further with £1.7 million of gainshare funding that has been returned by the supplier as a result of higher than expected take-up. There will be further gainshare funding over the seven year term of the contract which will become available to support further additional coverage. Furthermore, the UK Government is committed to a new broadband Universal Service Obligation, so every premise in the country will have access to broadband at a minimum speed, and our ambition is that this is 10Mbps.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by her Department are non-UK nationals.

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of staff on the payroll of her Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of her Department.

Matt Hancock: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Internet: Disability

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps have been taken to assess the effectiveness of the Equality Act 2010 in improving web accessibility for disabled people.

Matt Hancock: We are committed to increasing digital inclusion for all, and are taking steps to increase web accessibility for disabled people. The Government has published guidance on Gov.UK on making digital services accessible for Government departments, local authorities and anyone else who wants to prepare accessible communications.

Mass Media: Legal Costs

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effect of bringing into force the costs sanctions under section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 on individual press titles that have joined the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

Matt Hancock: The Secretary of State and I are currently considering s.40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 and we are meeting interested parties as part of these considerations.

BBC: Local Broadcasting

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had on the future of regional programming as part of the BBC Charter renewal process.

Matt Hancock: The new Charter requires the BBC to better reflect, represent and serve all of the UK’s nations and regions. The new public purposes make clear that the BBC should ensure it provides content and services that meet the needs of the UK’s nations, regions and communities. The specific content of regional programming is, however, an editorial matter for the BBC and there is a long-standing principle that the Government does not interfere in programme matters.

Small Businesses: Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent meetings she has had with the National Cyber Security Center on cyber resilience among small businesses.

Matt Hancock: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) was formally established on 1 October 2016 to deliver the Government's vision to help make the UK the safest place to live and do business online. Meetings have been held and further meetings are planned.

Small Businesses: Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to (a) support the development of an effective market in cyber insurance products for small businesses and (b) encourage the establishment of standards within that insurance industry.

Matt Hancock: The Government is committed to making the UK one of the safest places in the world to do business online and we recognise the role cyber insurance can play in helping to raise security levels in all businesses, including SMEs. In March 2015 we published a report on joint initiatives between Government and the insurance sector to tackle cyber risk. The report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cyber-security-insurance-new-steps-to-make-uk-world-centre The Government also chairs an insurance industry working-group to look at key issues around supporting the development of the cyber insurance industry.

Small Businesses: Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 45219, on small businesses: cybercrime, how many certificates have been issued in each category.

Matt Hancock: The number of certificates issued to enterprises in each category is estimated at: micro 1,073; small 1,138; medium 906; and large 903.

Electronic Equipment: Internet

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if the connectivity and communications of simple internet-connected devices such as cameras, televisions and domestic appliances is regulated by Ofcom.

Matt Hancock: Ofcom does not have a direct remit to regulate the connectivity and communications of internet connected devices. In line with their responsibilities as the UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom regulates the networks to which they are connected.

Electronic Equipment: Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the manufacturer liability for simple internet-connected devices such as cameras, televisions and domestic appliances in the event such a device is hijacked in a cyber attack; and how consumers can obtain compensation from the manufacturer in the event of such an attack.

Matt Hancock: The cyber security of the UK is a top priority for the Government which is why we are investing £1.9 billion and have opened the National Cyber Security Centre to help make the UK the safest place to live and do business online. In general, manufacturers of Internet-connected devices should ensure those devices have appropriate security measures built in and seek to ensure emerging technologies are secure by design. Individuals who are concerned about how their personal information is being processed or stored, or who believe it may have been compromised following a cyber breach, can raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Under the Data Protection Act, the ICO has a number of powers to change the behaviour of organisations and individuals that collect, use and keep personal information including issuing monetary penalty notices, requiring organisations to pay up to £500,000 for serious breaches of the Data Protection Act occurring on or after 6 April 2010 and prosecuting those who commit criminal offences under the Act.

Electronic Equipment: Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the cyber security of simple internet-connected devices such as cameras, televisions and domestic appliances; and what steps she is taking to ensure those devices cannot be hijacked for distributed denial of service and other cyber attacks.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to develop an industry standard to ensure the security of simple internet-connected devices such as cameras, televisions and domestic appliances.

Matt Hancock: The cyber security of the UK is a top priority for the Government which is why we are investing £1.9 billion and have opened the National Cyber Security Centre to help make the UK the safest place to live and do business online. The Government works closely with industry to promote the need for good cyber security practices. Manufacturers of Internet-connected devices should ensure those devices have appropriate security measures built in and seek to ensure emerging technologies are secure by design. The Government funds a variety of ongoing research on cyber security to ensure we are able to address current and future challenges, such as security in the Internet of Things. This includes 13 Academic Centres of Excellence in cyber security research based at UK universities, three cyber security Research Institutes investigating strategically important subjects and the Internet of Things Research Hub led by the PETRAS consortium of nine leading UK universities. Further Information on the IoT research hub is at https://www.petrashub.org, and the three Research Institutes are here:http://www.riscs.org.uk,https://ritics.org,https://verificationinstitute.org

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of his Department.

James Brokenshire: My Department does not directly employ any cleaning staff within the Westminster estate, we utilise contracted services provided by HM Treasury.

Northern Ireland Office: Migrant Workers

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many non-UK citizens are employed by his Department.

Kris Hopkins: I refer the Rt hon Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon Member for Southport on 14 October 2016.

Electoral Register: Northern Ireland

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he plans to take to retain the network of electoral offices in Northern Ireland.

Kris Hopkins: A consultation paper on the future delivery of electoral services in Northern Ireland has now been published. The paper discusses a range of issues relating to the delivery of electoral services in Northern Ireland, including the provision of local services following the introduction of digital registration. I look forward to receiving the views of all those with an interest in this important issue. The consultation paper is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications.

Borders: Ireland

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the Government's policy is on the nature of the border controls between the UK and the Republic of Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.

James Brokenshire: The Northern Ireland Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Electoral Register: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what provision will be made under proposals to introduce electronic voter registration in Northern Ireland for people (a) living in rural areas not well served by broadband access and (b) in older age groups less inclined to use online technology.

Kris Hopkins: Digital registration will be an additional service offered alongside the existing paper registration system – it won’t replace it. Individuals who do not wish to register using the online service can continue to register by post or in person. Registering online will not require a broadband connection. Individuals who wish to do so will be able to access the service using a standard internet connection or an internet enabled mobile phone.

Ministry of Defence

Royal Navy Police

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Recommendation 3 of the report of HM Inspectorate of Constabulary on Royal Navy Police, published in September 2016, what steps that police force has taken to establish a system for collecting feedback from victims of crime; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: In response to Recommendation 3 of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary's (HMIC) report, Provost Marshal (Navy) has started work to introduce a new process to provide victims of crime the opportunity to express any views about their experience of interaction with the Royal Navy Police.Following discussions with HMIC, this new process is expected to be introduced by the end of 2016.

RAF Leuchars

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much revenue his Department has received from private aircraft landing at the RAF base at Leuchars.

Mark Lancaster: For financial year 2016-17 to date, landing fees and associated charges to the value of some £14,000 have been raised from civil aviation visiting the airfield at Leuchars Station.

Syria: Armed Conflict

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has access to radar data covering Aleppo on 27 April 2016 that might identify the type, the origin and identity of aircraft present when al-Quds Hospital in the Sukari neighbourhood of Aleppo was attacked.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has access to radar data covering Aleppo city and Aleppo governorate from 18 September 2016 onwards that might identify the type, the origin and identity of aircraft present during (a) the attack on 18 September 2016 on populated areas in east Aleppo city, (b) the attack on 19 September 2016 on Syrian Arab Red Crescent trucks and warehouses in Urum al-Kubra in Aleppo governorate, (c) the attacks on 27 September 2016 on UOSSM supported hospitals M2 and M10 in Aleppo at approximately 4am local time and (d) other attacks on civilian targets and populated areas since that date.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has access to radar data covering Kafar Takhareen in Idlib governorate on 29 July 2016 that might identify the type and origin and identity of aircraft present when a Save the Children supported maternity hospital was attacked.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has access to radar data covering Aleppo on 17 August 2016 that might identify the type, origin and identity of aircraft present for the air attack on the Qaterji neighbourhood on that day.

Mike Penning: I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.However, indiscriminate attacks which fail to distinguish between civilians and legitimate military targets would be a violation of International Humanitarian Law and we welcome the UN's recent decision to establish an Internal Board of Inquiry into the attack on a UN aid convoy on 19 September.

Ministry of Defence: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by his Department are non-UK nationals.

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of staff on the payroll of his Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Mark Lancaster: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules.Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Armed Forces: Discharges

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the operation of the Future Horizons Programme for early service leavers.

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of (i) all service leavers and (ii) early service leavers from each of the armed forces who left the service voluntarily received transitional support through the Future Horizons Programme in each year since that programme's inception.

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of personnel from each of the armed forces who have been made redundant have received transitional support through the Future Horizons Programme in each year since that programme's inception.

Mark Lancaster: The Future Horizons Programme (FHP) is the resettlement programme for Early Service Leavers (ESL), meaning those members of the UK Armed Forces who leave with less than four years' service. It is delivered through the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) Career Transition Partnership (CTP) with Right Management Limited (part of the ManpowerGroup). The uptake rates and employment outcomes of ESL are monitored routinely through the CTP governance structure to ensure the programme continues to be effective in supporting ESL. ESL have been entitled to the FHP since it was introduced on 1 October 2013. Between 1 October 2013 and 31 March 2014 approximately 33% of eligible personnel participated in the FHP. During financial year 2014-15 some 62% of eligible personnel participated in the Future Horizons Programme. Prior to the establishment of the FHP all ESL were entitled to unit level support as part of standard MOD policy. From 1 October 2015, the resettlement provision for ESL is termed CTP Future Horizons. Official statistics for ESL who used CTP Future Horizons from 1 October 2015 will be published in January 2017 as part of the CTP Official Statistic. All personnel made redundant in the Armed Forces redundancy programme 2011-2015 (Tranches 1-4), received the highest level of resettlement provision delivered through what was then termed the CTP Full Resettlement Programme, regardless of their overall length of service.

Armed Forces: Discharges

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many infantry personnel aged (a) under 18 and (b) over 18 have voluntarily left the service early in each of the last five years.

Mark Lancaster: The information requested is provided below:  YearRegular Infantry Trained and Untrained Voluntry Outflow  Under 1818 And Above2011-12902,0802012-13602,0002013-14601,5602014-15801,4002015-16501,440 The trained and untrained information has come from two different organisations and administrative systems and therefore, may be inconsistent. There is also potential for double counting and/or missing information. Numbers should be considered as estimates. Voluntary Outflow is defined as personnel who leave the Army voluntarily before the end of their agreed engagement or commission period. Figures have been rounded to 10 for clarity and presentational purposes; numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Veterans: Employment

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of (i) all service leavers and (ii) early service leavers from each of the armed forces who left the service voluntarily have been assessed as achieving a positive employment or training outcome within six months of leaving the service.

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of people leaving the armed forces are still unemployed six months after the end of their service.

Mark Lancaster: UK Service personnel with four or more years’ Service who voluntarily left the Armed Forces in Financial Year 2014-15 (the latest statistic available) and used the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) services had the following estimated employment outcomes, up to six months after leaving: ServiceEmployed %Economically Inactive %Unemployed %Royal Navy89% (1,950)7% (160)3% (70)Army84% (6,560)9% (690)7% (510)Royal Air Force83% (1,710)14% (290)4% (70)Total Average %85% (10,220)10% (1,150)6% (640) Notes: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not record the training outcomes of Service leavers. The following categories of personnel have been included in the definition of those leaving Service voluntarily; those reaching the end of their engagement; those giving notice to terminate and those medically discharged. Figures include all Service leavers who used the Career Transition Partnership, less Early Service Leavers (this includes those with less than four years’ service and those compulsorily discharged). The numbers and percentages for employment outcomes cannot be summed together, as the unemployment figures were calculated on a different population to the employment and economically inactive figures. All totals and sub-totals have been rounded and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. For Early Service Leavers (ESL i.e. those with less than four years service or those compulsorily discharged irrespective of length of Service), the Future Horizons Programme (FHP) for ESL was introduced on 1 October 2013. Between 1 October 2013 and 31 March 2014 approximately 33% of eligible personnel participated in FHP. During Financial Year 2014-15 some 62% of eligible personnel participated in the Future Horizons Programme. Prior to the establishment of FHP all ESL were entitled to unit level support as part of standard MOD policy. From 1 October 2015, the resettlement provision for ESL is termed CTP Future Horizons. Official statistics on the six-months post-discharge employment status of ESL who used CTP Future Horizons will be published in January 2017 as part of the CTP official statistic.

Veterans: Employment

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of personnel from each of the armed forces who were made redundant in the last five years have been assessed as achieving a positive employment or training outcome within six months of leaving the service.

Mark Lancaster: Armed Forces redundancies were announced in September 2011 and consisted of four tranches between 2011 and 2015. All Service personnel who left under the Armed Forces redundancy programme, whether as an applicant or non-applicant, were offered support and assistance with their career transition through the Career Transition Partnership (CTP). The Ministry of Defence does not record the training outcomes of Service leavers. However, information on the estimated employment outcomes of Armed Forces redundees is provided in the following table:   UK Regular Service Personnel who used CTP services, Tranche 1-4 Redundancy, Estimated Employment Outcomes, Within Six Months of Leaving ServiceRedundancy Tranche (T)Naval Service (Royal Navy and Royal Marines)ArmyRAFEmployedEmployedEmployed % % %175080%70081%62081%211072%1,97076%52079%30N/A3,15080%0N/A4Limited quantitative data.46082%2078% Notes:Numbers are rounded to the nearest ten; numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. Limited quantitative data refers to figures fewer than five which have been suppressed due to the risk of disclosure.T1 & T2 employment outcome is as at June 2014; T3 is as at February 2015.T4 includes applicants only, and outcomes are as at August 2015.Full details of employment outcome information for UK Regular Armed Forces personnel, including those who have used the Career Transition Partnership are available at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/career-transition-partnership-ex-service-personnel-employment-outcomes-statistics-index

Armed forces: Casualties

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2016 to Question 44386, on Defence Business Services: Contracts, if he will consult current and former members of the armed forces before any decision is taken on the operation of the repatriation and burial of war casualties.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence currently has no plans to change the operation of repatriation and burial of war casualties. In the event of significant changes being proposed, Ministers, the single Services, Permanent Joint Headquarters and other interested parties would be consulted.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any personnel from the UK Reaper squadrons have been deployed to (a) Sigonella air base and (b) Libya; and if he will make a statement.

Mike Penning: No personnel from UK RAF Reaper Squadrons (Nos. 13 and 39) have been deployed to Sigonella Air Force Base (Sicily), or Libya.

Syria: Military Intervention

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Government will publish online near real time information collected from radars showing the flight paths of Russian and Syrian fighter jets in Syrian airspace.

Mike Penning: I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.However, Russia appears to be partnering with the Syrian regime in the attacks on Aleppo which are causing large numbers of civilian casualties. Indiscriminate attacks which fail to distinguish between civilians and legitimate military targets would be a violation of International Humanitarian Law and we welcome the UN's recent decision to establish an Internal Board of Inquiry into the attack on a UN aid convoy on 19 September.

Iraq Historic Allegations Team

Sir Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost of the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) has been to date; and who is on the Board of the IHAT.

Mike Penning: As of 30 September 2016, the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) has cost £34.7 million.There is no Board of the IHAT. Its senior command team comprises the Director, who reports to the Provost Marshal (Navy), the Head of the Royal Navy Police, for investigative purposes; the Deputy Head, a Commander in the Royal Navy Police; the Legal Adviser, a Captain in the Royal Navy; and the Assistant Head, a civil servant who is responsible to the Director for resourcing and administrative issues.

Navy

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the capability of the current Royal Navy fleet to police British waters and protect UK interests abroad.

Mike Penning: The Royal Navy continues to meet all of their current operational commitments, including the contribution to the protection of British waters and UK interests abroad.I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the former Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr Mark Francois) on 24 March 2015 to Question number 218389 to the hon. Member for Gelding (Vernon Coaker).



Territorial Waters
(Word Document, 14.99 KB)

Combined Cadet Force: Finance

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the funding levels are for Combined Cadet Forces in schools in 2016-17.

Mark Lancaster: There is no set budget for the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and the cost of Ministry of Defence (MOD) sponsorship of the CCF is calculated retrospectively.The latest assessment of the cost to the MOD of funding the CCF was for Financial Year (FY) 2013-14 when the total was £30.144 million. This figure covered the running costs and fixed costs of over 350 cadet units with a total of over 41,000 cadets. Running costs include equipment, rations, uniforms, transport, and remuneration for Adult Volunteers. Fixed costs include training infrastructure and overheads, regional structures, and central management administration and support.The baseline cost of the CCF for FY 2016-17 will not be substantially different from the 2013-14 figure, although the Government has committed an additional £50 million from LIBOR fines to the joint MOD/Department for Education Cadet Expansion Programme to increase the number of cadet units in schools to 500 by 2020. Most of the new units will be CCF contingents.

Military Aircraft

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure future interoperability of the Boeing Poseidon P-8 platform with the General Atomics MQ9 Reaper platforms.

Harriett Baldwin: The P-8A Poseidon aircraft will form a vital part of the UK's maritime patrol capability, and interoperability with other platforms and systems is a key user requirement. Work to enable this is under way, however, I am withholding further detail as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Nuclear Submarines

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is considering (a) radial gap electrical propulsion motors and (b) permanent magnet motors for the propulsion systems for the successor-class SSBNs.

Harriett Baldwin: I am withholding information on the type of motors for the propulsion systems being considered for the Successor submarine programme for the purpose of safeguarding national security.

Type 45 Destroyers

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 September 2016 to Question 45999, how many of the 34 days in which all six Daring-class Type 45 Destroyers were berthed together at HMNB Portsmouth were consecutive.

Harriett Baldwin: There were four separate periods during July and August 2016 when all six Daring Class Type 45 Destroyers were alongside together at Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth for consecutive days. These were for two days, two and a half days, four days, and twenty five and a half days.

Trafalgar Class Submarines: Decommissioning

Steven Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans the Government has for the decommissioning of (a) HMS Torbay, (b) HMS Trenchant, (c) HMS Talent and (d) HMS Triumph.

Harriett Baldwin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the former Minister for Defence Procurement (Philip Dunne) on 1 July 2013 (Official Report, column 405W) to the right hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson).



Trafalgar Class Submarines
(Word Document, 14.08 KB)

Patrol Craft

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the in-service dates are for the River-Class Offshore Patrol Vessels currently under construction on the Clyde.

Harriett Baldwin: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given in the House of Lords on 12 September 2016 by my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence, the right hon. Earl Howe to the noble Lord, Lord West of Spithead to Question HL1533.



Patrol Craft
(Word Document, 14.51 KB)

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the insulation on coolant lines in the fuel tanks of UK F35B Lightning II fighters does not suffer decomposition.

Harriett Baldwin: The discovery of insulating material becoming detached from an avionics cooling line located in a fuel tank is not a design or technical issue, but a sub-contractor quality control issue that affects only a small subset of the 104 operational F-35As in the fleet. The UK is procuring the F-35B variant which is not affected by this issue. UK F-35 Initial Operating Capability is scheduled for December 2018 and remains on track.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Royal Air Force F35B Lightning II jets have completed testing for shipborne rolling vertical landing in cooperation with US Air Force and US Navy assets.

Harriett Baldwin: UK F-35B simulation trials for Shipborne Rolling Vertical Landing (SRVL) are ongoing. SRVL trials at sea are scheduled to commence as part of the UK's First of Class Flying Trials aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth in late 2018.

Frigates

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 46000, when the pre-concept phase activity for the General Purpose Frigate program began.

Harriett Baldwin: The pre-concept phase activity for the General Purpose Frigate programme began in November 2015, following the publication of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015.

Armed Forces: Dental Services

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to improve the quality of dental treatment available to armed forces personnel.

Mark Lancaster: Delivering high quality dental care is fundamental to the health and deployability of the Armed Forces. Examinations and treatment provided by Defence Primary Healthcare are delivered against detailed standards that differentiate military dentistry from other oral healthcare systems. All care is subject to a comprehensive assurance regime, externally validated by the Care Quality Commission, and a system exists to centrally capture patient complaints, suggestions and compliments, all pursuant to quality improvement.We are committed to improving dental care further. A Strategic Oral Health Needs Assessment has recently been undertaken that will lead to an improved distribution of dental clinical capacity. It will also act as the precursor to a revised Armed Forces' Oral Health Strategy. Other improvements we are making include a three year pilot to assess how dental therapists can contribute to the oral health outcomes required by Defence.

Explosives: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times explosive ordinance officers were deployed to deal with incidents in Northern Ireland between 1 January 2016 and 1 July 2016.

Mike Penning: Incidents requiring explosive ordnance disposal experts in Northern Ireland are dealt with solely by military personnel. The information requested on the number of occasions Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel have responded to incidents in Northern Ireland is published annually in the Report of the Independent Reviewer of the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007. The statistics will be included in the forthcoming report which covers the period of August 2015 to July 2016.

Ministry of Defence: Consultants

Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2016 to Question 44352, for what contracts the largest three total payments were made to (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Ernst and Young and (d) KPMG in the last three years.

Harriett Baldwin: Details of the Ministry of Defence contracts with the highest expenditure over the past three years, with PwC, Deloitte, Ernst and Young, and KPMG are provided in the following table. Contract titleSupplierTotal expenditure – 2013-14 to 2015-16 £MANAGED SERVICE PROVIDER CONTRACT FOR HUMAN RESOURCESPWC LLP11,866,144PROVISION OF EXTERNAL SUPPORT TO DEFENCE INTERNAL AUDITPWC LLP7,453,821SUPPLY OF CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE DELIVERY OF DE&S RECRUITMENT AND DELIVERY PROGRAMMEPWC LLP7,395,956EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE PROVISION OF IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT FOR THE DEFENCE INFRASTRUCTURE ORGANISATION TRANSFORMATION LOT 1 & 2DELOITTE LLP11,274,792HUMAN RESOURCES EXTERNAL SUPPORT FOR DE&SDELOITTE LLP3,900,000EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT THE DELIVERY OF THE DE&S OUTPUT REVIEW PROGRAMMEDELOITTE LLP3,360,000INVENTORY MANAGEMENT TRANSFORMATION PHASE 3ERNST & YOUNG LLP38,215,660EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORT FOR LOGISTIC COMMODITIES AND SERVICES INVENTORY MANAGEMENT OPTIMISATION PHASE 2 PROJECTERNST & YOUNG LLP7,000,888EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORT FOR LOGISTICS, COMMODITIES AND SERVICES PROJECTERNST & YOUNG LLP3,546,641MOD COST ASSURANCE AND ANALYSIS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMEKPMG LLP56,484,928MATERIEL STRATEGY-PROVISION OF FINANCIAL ADVISORKPMG LLP18,161,930COST ASSURANCE AND ANALYSIS SERVICE (CAAS) DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME - COST ESTIMATINGKPMG LLP4,905,124  The information provided reflects the fact that we are making fundamental changes to the way we manage the business of Defence, and independent experts with specialist skills are making a valuable contribution to this work. They benefit our permanent workforce by making us more self-reliant and resilient in providing the cutting-edge capabilities our Armed Forces need to keep our country safe.

Yemen: Military Intervention

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is investigating allegations that the Saudi-led coalition deployed UK manufactured cluster munitions; and whether UK military personnel or UK aircraft were involved in the deployment of such munitions.

Sir Michael Fallon: We are aware of reports, including from Amnesty International on 6 June 2016, of the alleged use of UK-supplied cluster munitions in the Saudi-led coalition campaign in Yemen. We take this allegation very seriously, have analysed the case carefully and raised the issue with the Saudi-led coalition.The UK is not a member of the coalition and there are no Royal Air Force aircraft in coalition operations. British military personnel are not involved in carrying out strikes, directing or conducting operations in Yemen or in the targeting process.

Armed Forces: Cadets

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the recent statement of the Secretary of State for Defence on increasing the number of cadet units in state schools across the UK, what steps he plans to help ensure that those units provide opportunities for young people from ethnic minority and vulnerable backgrounds.

Mark Lancaster: Last year the Government committed £50 million of LIBOR funding to the Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) to increase the number of cadet units in schools to 500 by 2020. This manifesto commitment will establish around 150 new units in state schools across the UK. The programme is targeting schools in less affluent areas to ensure that more young people can experience the life-enhancing activities that cadet service brings.The cadet forces are inclusive organisations which help young people achieve their full potential. We are committed to equality of opportunity for young people from all backgrounds, regarding diversity within our membership as one of our greatest strengths.As part of our plan to build a country that works for everyone we have made it a priority to focus the CEP on areas of high deprivation where the potential benefit is greatest. The new school units will help young people to get on in life, raising their aspirations and motivating them to succeed in their education.

Armed Forces: Sexuality

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel were dishonourably discharged on the grounds of their sexual orientation from the (a) Royal Navy excluding the Royal Marines, (b) Royal Marines, (c) Army and (d) Royal Air Force in each year from 1986 to 2000.

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel who were dishonourably discharged from the (a) Royal Navy excluding the Royal Marines, (b) Royal Marines, (c) Army and (d) Royal Air Force in each year from 1986 to 2000 have since had that dishonourable discharge reviewed and amended.

Mark Lancaster: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Dishonourable discharge is not a term used by the UK Armed Forces. In order to positively identify those discharges which were definitely related to sexual orientation, the Ministry of Defence would have to conduct a manual search of the files of all Service personnel discharged under the relevant regulations of 'misconduct' and 'services no longer required', both of which encompass a wide range of conduct and behaviour.Since changes were made to the law in 2000 to allow homosexual men, lesbians and transgender personnel to serve openly in the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence has taken many positive steps to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender staff. The Royal Navy and the Army currently feature in Stonewall's Top 100 Employers list, and Stonewall has also publically praised Defence on our approach to ensuring that our workforce is as diverse as possible.

Trident Submarines: Iron and Steel

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department made of whether British steel could be used in the construction of the pressure hulls for the Trident Successor programme.

Harriett Baldwin: The specialised steel required for the Successor submarine pressure hull is not manufactured in the UK and no viable UK bid was received for this part of the Successor submarine manufacture.Other stages of construction will include grades of steel manufactured by British suppliers and we expect them to take the opportunity to bid.85% of BAE System's supply chain for the new submarines is based in the UK.

Sir Richard Paniguan

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what meetings his Department has had and on what dates with Sir Richard Paniguan in the last 12 months.

Harriett Baldwin: Details of Ministers and senior officials meetings are published on gov.uk under transparency reporting:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?keywords=meetings&publication_filter_option=transparency-data&topics%5B%5D=all&departments%5B%5D=ministry-of-defence&official_document_status=all&world_locations%5B%5D=all&from_date=&to_date=For meetings which may have taken place outside of the transparency reporting requirements, the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ministry of Defence: Water Charges

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average annual charge for water is for Ministry of Defence water bill customers.

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, to how many customers his Department provides water.

Harriett Baldwin: The Ministry of Defence provides water to 4,037 domestic customers and 1,757 commercial customers.The average annual water charge for domestic customers is £186.95 and for commercial customers is £1,454.82.

Ministry of Defence: Water Charges

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department paid (a) Severn Trent and (b) other third parties for issuing water bill charges in each of the last three years.

Harriett Baldwin: Information on how much the Department paid Severn Trent and third parties for issuing water bill charges in each of the last three financial years (FY) is shown below:  FY 2013-14FY 2014-15FY 2015-16Kelda Water Services£75,301£75,051£72,074Veolia Water Nevis£159,025£25,161£20,296Severn Trent Services£52,177£100,713£79,005

Armed Forces: Health

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which (a) medicinal and (b) non-medicinal products have been approved for use by armed forces service personnel to aid them in staying alert.

Mark Lancaster: In the Defence Primary Healthcare Formulary and operational medical modules (the equipment and materiel component of deployed medical operational capability) there are currently no approved medicinal products for use by Service personnel to aid them in staying alert.Regarding non-medicinal products, there is Defence policy about the use of caffeine as a stimulant in aircrew. There is also policy stipulating that all personnel involved in flying duties should only be prescribed medication or remedies by a Military Aviation Medical Expert.

Ministry of Defence: Procurement

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the cost to the public purse of current and planned procurement contracts of a fall in the value of sterling.

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which current and planned defence procurement projects have costs which are currency sensitive.

Harriett Baldwin: The Ministry of Defence addresses the impact of short term variations in foreign exchange rates as part of the routine financial management of the Defence programme. This includes the forward purchase of foreign currency at agreed prices using services provided by the Bank of England and HM Treasury. This approach provides the Department with a degree of price stability that is currently mitigating the effect of the sterling rate on the Department's costs.

Ministry of Defence: Procurement

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times the Revise or Confirm Offer procedure has been invoked by his Department's procurement function in the last 12 months against firms based (a) outside and (b) within the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) how many times and (b) in relation to which projects the Revise or Confirm Offer procedure has been invoked in Scotland by his Department's procurement function in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ministry of Defence: Procurement

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the operation of the Revise or Confirm Offer procedure in defence procurement; and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin: The Ministry of Defence has made no assessment of the effectiveness of the operation of the revise or confirm offer procedure in defence procurement. Procurement staff may use the revise or confirm offer procedure, on a case-by-case basis to allow a supplier to clarify or improve its bid during a competitive negotiated or single source procurement.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Local Growth Deals

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44480, what monitoring mechanisms are in place to collect data on the effects of his Department's devolution policies.

Andrew Percy: The Government believes that local areas are best placed to monitor the effects of devolution policies within their locality. All devolution deals include a commitment to putting in place a monitoring and evaluation plan, which is locally developed and administered with government support and signed off by government.Combined authorities are also required to have local scrutiny committees, helping to ensure that those best placed to monitor devolution activity are empowered to do so.It is the government’s view that this is an appropriate and proportionate approach to decentralising power.

Communities and Local Government: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by his Department  are non-UK nationals.

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of staff on the payroll of his Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Mr Marcus Jones: All government departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules.Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.

Construction: Migrant Workers

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on work permits and immigration rules for EU citizens working in the construction and building trades after the UK leaves the EU.

Gavin Barwell: The Secretary of State meets with the Home Secretary and other stakeholders regularly to discuss a wide range of policy issues.

UK Withdrawal from EU

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with council leaders on the effect of the UK's decision to leave the EU.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Secretary of State regularly engages with a number of stakeholders, including local government, on policy issues. The Secretary of State welcomes input from the sector and this includes views on the issues and opportunities of the UK's decision to leave the EU.

Planning Permission

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 44488, when he plans to tighten the Planning Guarantee for minor planning applications.

Gavin Barwell: We will make an announcement about the timetable for tightening the Planning Guarantee for applications for minor development as part of our response to the consultation on implementing the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

Planning Permission

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 44488, what safeguards his Department plans to propose to ensure that changes in policy for minor planning applications do not favour developers at the expense of local residents.

Gavin Barwell: In an area where the council has been designated as underperforming, applicants can choose to submit their application directly to the Planning Inspectorate for determination, instead of the council. Applications submitted directly to the Planning Inspectorate will be subject to the same general procedures as those that go to local planning authorities. This includes undertaking consultation on the proposal with the local community. Decisions that are unnecessarily slow, or which refuse development without good reason, can have a real impact by delaying or discouraging investment. That is bad for the economy and bad for communities, so taking action where there is clear evidence that a service is not being delivered effectively is beneficial to all.

Planning Permission

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 44488, what the implications for councils are of failure to determine planning applications in a timely and efficient manner; and what plans he has to provide extra funding to councils to assist them with implementing his Department's plans to tighten the Planning Guarantee for minor planning applications.

Gavin Barwell: Councils are at risk of being designated as underperforming where they persistently fail to determine planning applications for major development within statutory timescales or an agreed extended period with the applicant. In an area where the council has been designated as underperforming, applicants can choose to submit their application directly to the Planning Inspectorate for determination, instead of the council. We are extending this regime to applications for non-major development. Where applications are not determined within 26 weeks, councils have to refund the application fee under the Planning Guarantee.We do not intend to provide any additional funding to local authorities with regard to tightening the Planning Guarantee. Earlier this year we consulted on proposals to increase planning fees and will publish our response in due course.

Private Rented Housing

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many residential properties were owned by private landlords in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013, (e) 2014, (f) 2015 and (g) 2016.

Gavin Barwell: These data are published in Live table 104 here:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/519499/LT_104.xls

Housing: Construction

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how combined authorities are assisting his Department in delivering new housing schemes.

Gavin Barwell: Combined authorities enable local authorities to work jointly to take strategic decisions and improve the delivery of statutory functions such as transport, economic development and regeneration in the local area. Combined authority areas with devolution deals can support the delivery of new housing schemes in a number of ways, including, for example, through preparing strategic plans for their area, forming partnerships with the Homes and Communities Agency and committing to increasing house building.

Local Authorities: Insurance

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to provide financial assistance to local authorities which are increasing their insurance cover against the risk of terrorism.

Mr Marcus Jones: Local authorities are democratically elected organisations, and as such are responsible for managing their budgets and insurance arrangements in line with local priorities and risks.

Neighbourhood Development Plans

William Wragg: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proposals he has to enhance and extend neighbourhood plans.

Gavin Barwell: The Government is fully committed to neighbourhood planning and recently introduced regulations that implement powers in the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to speed up and simplify the neighbourhood planning process. To support the Government’s approach, the Neighbourhood Planning Bill, which went through Second Reading in Parliament on 10 October, contains measures to further strengthen neighbourhood planning.We are also supporting neighbourhood planning through a £22.5 million support programme which has made over 1,500 payments to groups since April 2015. All groups can apply for a grant of up to £9,000. Additional grant and technical support is available to priority groups, including those in urban and more deprived areas. Groups can also access a range of tools and templates, and a dedicated advice service, to help them prepare their plans.

Landlords

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the cost to the public purse is of dealing with rogue landlords in each year since 2010.

Gavin Barwell: This information is not held centrally.

Local Growth Deals

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions with local authorities he is having on possible devolution deals; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Percy: The Government is committed to supporting growth up and down the country through the devolution of power away from Whitehall and is engaged in on-going discussions with a range of areas. As a government we are open to discussing any devolution proposals that include strong, accountable governance arrangements so that we can provide local areas with the powers and tools they need to build an economy that works for everyone.

Non-domestic Rates

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many representations he has received from business groups on the reform of business rates in the last six months; if he will publish such representations; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Government’s recent consultation on Business Rates Retention received 21 representations from businesses or associated representative bodies. The Government will publish its response to the outcome of this consultation in due course. To ensure business views are fully taken into account government has also established a business interest group, to contribute to the policy and technical debate.

Local Government Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what further steps he plans to take to give councils greater flexibility and control over budgets; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones: We have already given councils greater control by offering a 4-year settlement, and by the end of the Parliament, local government will retain 100% of business rates raised locally. Devolution Deals have awarded Mayoral Combined Authorities with greater flexibilities over investment funding through the Single Pot; this local control will only increase with devolution of the Adult Education Budget from 2018/19, subject to readiness conditions in Deal agreements. The Government believes that these policies fundamentally change the way local government operates, to give councils greater flexibility and control over budgets.

Smoke Alarms

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what data his Department holds on the proportion of households without working smoke alarms in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Redcar and Cleveland and (d) Middlesbrough in each of the last five years.

Gavin Barwell: The Department for Communities and Local Government holds data on the proportion of households without smoke alarms in England from the English Housing Survey which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2014-to-2015-smoke-alarms-in-english-homes-report

Local Government: Assets

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what further steps he plans to take to allow local authorities to use capital receipts from the sale of its assets to fund local authority services; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones: The time limited flexibility, recently introduced by the government, allows local authorities to use capital receipts to fund the revenue costs of any project that is designed to generate ongoing revenue savings in the delivery of public services. Such projects will deliver an ongoing benefit for taxpayers.Parliament has decided that capital receipts cannot normally be applied to finance revenue expenditure. This is consistent with the fundamental principle that long term assets should not be used to finance immediate costs. I have no plans to seek approval from Parliament to revoke this principle and allow local authorities to use capital receipts to fund ongoing service delivery.

Local Growth Deals

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which devolution deals have been agreed between his Department and local authorities; when each such deal will come into force; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Percy: Devolution deals are a key part of our plan to support growth up and down the country as we build an economy that works for everyone.The Government has agreed and announced nine ground-breaking devolution deals with areas all across the country: Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Midlands, Sheffield City Region, Tees Valley, West of England, Cornwall, Greater Lincolnshire & East Anglia, all of which need to provide local consent before final orders are laid.The Government is working with local areas to bring forward the secondary legislation necessary to deliver devolution deal commitments by establishing and conferring powers on local institutions. This includes orders to create elected mayors, who will provide a single point of accountability for residents and a powerful voice for local areas, boosting their profile and helping to attract investment.The Government will never impose a devolution deal on an area. Government is clear that this is a locally led process and will work with areas to negotiate and deliver deals which are right for them.

Mayors

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on requiring areas which are bidding for devolved powers to introduce directly elected mayors.

Andrew Percy: The Government is clear that devolution deals are locally-led and bespoke - not one-size-fits-all. The Government has, however, been consistent in stating that the most ambitious deals in terms of the powers and funding devolved will be those that are the most ambitious in their governance proposals, for example those willing to offer a directly elected, single point of accountability by establishing mayoral combined authorities.

Combined Authorities: Dorset

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on what date the nine Dorset councils and Dorset LEP submitted their application for the creation of a combined authority; when he expects to be able to give his decision on that application; and what the earliest date is on which a combined authority could start work.

Andrew Percy: In accordance with the statutory process, the councils submitted on 26 July 2016 a summary of their consultation responses. It is now for the Secretary of State to decide whether the proposal for the combined authority meets the statutory test and if so to seek Parliamentary approval to implement it. If Parliament were to approve the necessary secondary legislation by March 2017, the combined authority could start work on 1 April 2017.

Green Belt

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to set minimum periods for the review of local plans to enable established green belt boundaries to operate without the prospect of change for longer periods.

Gavin Barwell: To be effective plans need to be kept up-to-date. We expect authorities to review their Local Plan at regular intervals to assess whether some or all of it may need updating. Our guidance is clear that most Local Plans are likely to require updating in whole or in part at least every five years. However, national policy makes it clear that one of the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their permanence.

Right to Buy Scheme: Housing Associations

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to finalise the tenant eligibility criteria, start date and funding for the extension of right to buy to housing association tenants.

Gavin Barwell: The voluntary Right to Buy will give housing association tenants the opportunity to purchase a home. We are currently working with the National Housing Federation and the housing association sector on the design and implementation of the main scheme and will announce more details in due course.

Attendance Allowance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2016 to Question 43519, what plans he has to ensure that local authorities with the highest proportions of attendance allowance cases in payment are able to provide the same level of attendance allowance funding under the structure proposed in his Department's consultation, Self-sufficient local government: 100 per cent business rate retention.

Mr Marcus Jones: The consultation "Self-sufficient local government: 100% business rates retention" published by the Department of Communities and local government sought views on a range of options for devolving new responsibilities to local government including more responsibility for caring for older people.The feedback from that consultation which closed on 26 September is currently being analysed and a response will be published in due course.The Government would undertake a further consultation, accompanied by a relevant impact assessment, if any changes were to be proposed in relation to Attendance Allowance.

Housing: Disability

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that more homes are accessible for disabled people.

Gavin Barwell: Government is committed to helping older and disabled people to live independently and safely in their own homes for as a long as possible. Since 2010, over £1 billion pounds has been provided for the Disabled Facilities Grant, funding adaptations to around 250,000 existing homes to help disabled people to live independently and safely. Funding for the grant has risen by almost 80% from £220 million in 2015-16 to £394 million in 2016-17 and will rise further to over £500 million by 2020-21.Planning policy and Building Regulations support local authorities in meeting the new housing supply needs of disabled and older people in their communities. This includes the introduction of optional levels of accessibility in the Building Regulations which local authorities can apply to new development in their local area subject to needs and viability assessment.

Wales Office

Wales Office: Migrant Workers

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many non-UK citizens are employed by his Department.

Guto Bebb: The Ministry of Justice provide employment services on our behalf. The Wales Office is not an employer in its own right and therefore does not hold this information.

HM Treasury

UK Withdrawal from EU

Louise Haigh: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his policy to set the extra resources needed for the Civil Service to plan, prepare and negotiate the UK's exit from the EU within the parameters of the 2015 Spending Review.

Mr David Gauke: The Government is preparing for the UK to make an orderly and successful exit from the European Union. The Government will look to deliver its aggregate spending plans.

Welfare Tax Credits: Payments

Helen Goodman: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit claimants whose claim was wrongfully stopped then reinstated have not had the full value of money returned; and what the total amount outstanding still owed is in such cases.

Jane Ellison: Where a tax credit award has been re-instated following a gap in payment, the claimant may receive the payment as a lump sum. This depends on the exact circumstances of the case, taking into account the revised entitlement compared to the monies already received. All future payments will also be adjusted to account for the revisions to the award. Provisions are in place to make arrears payments to customers suffering financial hardship.

Public Sector: Tax Avoidance

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the likely costs in administering changes to IR35 on public sector contracts; whether these costs will fall on public sector organisations; and what estimate his Department has made of the net gain to the Exchequer resulting from those changes.

Jane Ellison: Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has formally consulted with stakeholders, including a large number of public sector organisations on the impacts of the changes. The Government is analysing these responses and will respond in due course. Changes to off-payroll working in the public sector will make the engager responsible for deducting and paying associated tax and National Insurance where the intermediary rules apply. These changes will increase compliance with existing rules, rather than introducing a new tax liability. It is right that public sector bodies ensure that their workers are paying the correct amount of tax. At Budget this year, the Government published an estimate of the Exchequer yield as a result of these changes. This totalled around £550 million over the scorecard period, to 2021.

Police Service of Scotland: VAT

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make Police Scotland eligible for VAT refunds.

Jane Ellison: The Government has no intention of bringing forward legislative proposals to make Police Scotland eligible for VAT refunds.

ICT: VAT

Andrew Bridgen: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce an interim threshold in the VAT rules on digital supplies for micro-businesses.

Jane Ellison: While we remain in the EU our rights and obligations as a Member State apply and as such we cannot introduce laws that conflict with existing EU law. The UK government has pushed for change and the European Commission has confirmed proposals expected by the end of this year will include a VAT threshold in order to help small start-up e-commerce businesses.

Concentrix

Jo Stevens: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in (a) Cardiff Central constituency and (b) Cardiff County local authority area have had a tax credit claim stopped by Concentrix; and how many such claims were subsequently reinstated by HM Revenue and Customs.

Jane Ellison: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold data broken down specifically by constituency areas. HMRC is currently focussed on resolving the outstanding cases but will be preparing regional analysis, which will be available in due course.

Incentives

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44306 and with reference to ONS figures detailing the record amount of bonuses paid in Great Britain last year, released in Average weekly earnings, bonus payments in Great Britain: financial year ending 2016, on 15 September, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his policies in curbing excessive performance bonuses; and what plans he has to tackle inequality in performance bonuses between industry sectors.

Simon Kirby: The UK is at the forefront of global efforts to tackle unacceptable pay practices in the banking sector and has the toughest regime on pay of any major financial centre. Firms are now required to have policies in place to defer, reduce, cancel or clawback bonuses in the event that poor performance or misconduct comes to light and the Government expects firms to be proactive in their application of these policies. Used in this way bonuses can be an effective incentive for staff to act in the long term interests of a business. The Government’s efforts have resulted in a restructuring of pay including a significant reduction in cash bonuses, and a better alignment of risk and reward in the financial sector. Outside the financial services sector, it is for businesses to decide how they remunerate their employees provided minimum legal requirements are met. The ONS statistics show that bonuses as a percentage of total pay for sectors other than finance and insurance have remained relatively stable since 2000 at an average of 4.0%. The Government intends to publish a consultation document later this year that will set out a range of options for strengthening corporate governance and the way executive pay is set and reported, including greater disclosure of the targets that trigger bonus payments to company directors.

Corruption: Unpaid Taxes

Margaret Hodge: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many times HM Revenue and Customs has commenced proceedings to recover unpaid tax claimed as deductible on payments that were subsequently found to involve foreign bribery since 2012.

Jane Ellison: HM Revenue and Customs does not record centrally information that may involve foreign bribery when dealing with proceedings to recover unpaid tax.

Revenue and Customs

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many enquiries were made to the Tax Credit Office by each hon. Member on behalf of constituents in (a) July, (b) August and (c) September 2016.

Jane Ellison: HM Revenue and Customs does not hold data showing the individual breakdown of enquiries by each hon. Member. The number of enquiries made to the Tax Credit Office by hon. Members on behalf of constituents between July and September 2016 were as follows: Telephone EnquiriesWritten EnquiriesJuly642527August1169414September31721838Total49832779

Offshore Industry: North Sea

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what long-term plans he has to secure the future of the oil and gas industry in the North Sea.

Jane Ellison: The long-term success of the sector is dependent on a tripartite approach between industry, government and a dedicated regulator, as set out in Sir Ian Wood’s review.The Government has provided substantial support to the oil and gas sector over the past two years, through measures worth £2.3 billion. This includes significant cuts to tax rates, the introduction of the Investment and Cluster Area Allowances and funding for seismic surveys to support exploration. The UK now has one of the most competitive fiscal regimes in the world for oil and gas.On 1 October 2016, the Oil and Gas Authority was formally established as a strong, independent regulator for the sector. Its new powers will allow it to act with greater speed and flexibility to attract investment, support jobs and further the UK’s competitive edge.

Mark Carney

John Mann: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has re-offered an extension of contract to the Governor of the Bank of England.

Simon Kirby: The Financial Services Act 2012 states that the appointment to Governor of the Bank of England is for a period of eight years and that a Governor may not be appointed more than once. The current Governor of the Bank of England was appointed on 1 July 2013 for a term of eight years, but indicated at the time that he would serve until 30 June 2018.

Treasury: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by his Department  are non-UK nationals.

John Pugh: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of staff on the payroll of his Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Simon Kirby: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Natural Gas: North Sea

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to encourage the exploration of natural gas in the North Sea.

Jane Ellison: To support exploration activity, the Government has significantly cut tax rates for the oil and gas sector and introduced the Investment and Cluster Area Allowances to reduce the effective rate of tax paid by producers. Lower tax rates will encourage exploration by improving the economics of new discoveries. Over the last two years the Government has also funded a £40 million programme of seismic surveys. This will boost offshore exploration in under-explored areas of the UK Continental Shelf.

Higher Education: Finance

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the university sector on the level of future additional sources of Government funding after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr David Gauke: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel The government is committed to maintaining the position of our world-class universities. The Chancellor stated in August that, to ensure stability in the period leading up to our departure from the EU, we will guarantee: multi-year contracts from the structural and investment funds signed by government before we leave and successful bids from competitive EU funds, for example Horizon 2020, submitted while the UK is a member of the EU. The Treasury will underwrite these payments even when specific projects continue beyond departure from the EU. In addition, the government has announced that it will guarantee access to loans and grants for EU students starting in the academic year 2017-18. These will be available throughout the duration of their course.

Corporation Tax

Bob Stewart: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will assess the potential merits of abolishing UK corporation tax.

Jane Ellison: The Government is committed to a competitive and fair tax system, one that encourages innovation and business investment and taxes the profits of economic activity that occur in the UK. That is why this Government has cut the main rate of corporation tax from 28% in 2010 to 17% in 2020, and announced a package of measures at Budget 2016 to tackle aggressive tax planning by multinationals, forecast to raise around £8 billion across the next five years.Corporation tax raised £44.4 billion for the Exchequer in 2015/16. This revenue makes a vital contribution to the Government’s wider objectives of delivering vital public services and fiscal sustainability. The Government will continue to explore how the tax regime can be reformed to best support business investment and growth.

Treasury: Staff

John Pugh: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of his Department.

Simon Kirby: The cleaning service at HM Treasury is provided through a service contract, let by the landlord for 1 Horse Guards Road (Exchequer Partnership). HM Treasury does not directly employ cleaners.

Chess: VAT

Charlotte Leslie: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will continue to allow entry fees for chess tournaments to remain VAT exempt.

Jane Ellison: Entry fees for chess tournaments have always been taxable at the standard rate of VAT.

Welsh Government: Finance

Paul Flynn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total funding that the Welsh Government will lose as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

Paul Flynn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount of funding the Welsh Government will lose in subsidies as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

Paul Flynn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to match the level of funding for Wales that is provided by the EU.

Paul Flynn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any increase in Welsh Government funding will come through the existing Barnett formula following the UK vote to leave the EU.

Paul Flynn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the effect leaving the EU will have on the level of Welsh farming subsidies.

Mr David Gauke: The UK Government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects in Wales, including agri-environment schemes, signed before we leave the EU. It will be for the Welsh Government to make an assessment of which projects should be pursued in areas of its competence, and this guarantee will apply to any such projects. The agricultural sector in Wales will receive the same level of funding that it would have received under Pillar 1 of CAP until the end of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework in 2020. As a result of these steps taken by the UK Government, individuals and organisations in receipt of EU funds now have a greater degree of certainty about funding over the coming years. The UK Government will work with the Welsh Government to consider future funding arrangements for once the UK has left the EU.

Soft Drinks: Taxation

Sammy Wilson: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the soft drinks industry levy on (a) small businesses and (b) the UK economy.

Jane Ellison: The Government published an initial impact assessment alongside the consultation document.

Local Authorities: EU Grants and Loans

Gareth Thomas: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total value of European Investment Bank loans to local councils in (a) total, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) England (e) Wales and (f) each region of England in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many loans from the European Investment Bank were approved in the UK by (a) constituent region and nation and (b) local authority area in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke: Answer: The EIB publish all loans made to UK borrowers. The link below provides information on lending volumes to the UK and details on individual UK projects are available on the EIB website. http://www.eib.org/projects/regions/european-union/united-kingdom/index.htm

Exchange Rates: Sterling

Hilary Benn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Bank of England to prepare for any fluctuations in the value of the pound during the process of negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

Simon Kirby: The independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has operational responsibility for monetary policy. In determining monetary policy, the MPC takes account of the impact of the exchange rate on prices, but the UK does not have an exchange rate target. Instead, the exchange rate is allowed to adjust flexibly in response to economic conditions and movements in sterling are determined by market forces.

Financial Services: Internet

Kate Green: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with financial services industry bodies on tariffs for customers who do not access services online.

Simon Kirby: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has had no discussions with financial services industry bodies on tariffs for customers who do not access services online. The Government takes the firm view that consumers must be able to easily access clear and transparent information about their accounts with banks and other financial services companies.

Economic Situation: Ireland

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Irish government on the potential implications for economic growth (a) on the island of Ireland and (b) in Northern Ireland of the UK leaving the EU.

Mr David Gauke: The Chancellor met his Irish counterpart on 22 September to discuss a range of issues relating to the UK’s EU exit. We look forward to working closely with the Irish Government and other key stakeholders as we develop our approach to this matter.

Tourism: VAT

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the potential effect of a change in the rate of VAT for tourism on employment creation in Northern Ireland.

Jane Ellison: The Chancellor regularly discusses a wide range of issues with other Ministers.

Revenue and Customs: Staff

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of full-time equivalent officials in his Department employed on cases of mandatory reconsideration; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: HM Revenue and Customs currently has 627 full-time equivalent officials employed on mandatory reconsiderations.

Revenue and Customs: Staff

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of full-time equivalent officials in his Department who are employed on cases where tax credits have been stopped by Concentrix; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) currently has around 700 full-time equivalent (FTE) officials employed across a variety of Concentrix related activity. Concentrix only record the number of awards that have been amended, which could be stopped, reduced or increased. HMRC is unable to breakdown the FTE data to show those staff employed specifically on cases where awards have been stopped by Concentrix.

Local Partnerships: Government Shareholding

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2016 to Question 45730, what estimate he has made of the current value of his Department's share in local partnerships.

Mr David Gauke: HM Treasury holds a 50% share in Local Partnerships LLP. It is difficult to put a precise value on shareholding given LP’s business model and remit, and the fact that it is not capable of being sold in the open market in its current form. Total net asset value, as per Local Partnerships’ most recent audited accounts, is £6.8 million, and on this basis the Department’s share is £3.4 million.

Concentrix

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2016 to Question 46494, whether his Department keeps a record of the number of people who have had their tax credits stopped and subsequently reinstated by Concentrix in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not keep records of the number of people who had their tax credits stopped and then re-instated by Concentrix. Only the number of awards that have been amended, which could be stopped, reduced or increased, is recorded. HMRC is currently focussed on resolving the outstanding cases but will be preparing analysis, which will be available in due course.

Clinical Psychologists: Training

Catherine West: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications his Department has received for the Widening Access Tax Rebate Scheme for trainee psychologists in each year since the rebate scheme has been in operation.

Jane Ellison: HM Revenue and Customs does not hold information on the specific course undertaken so is unable to provide figures for the number of applications for trainee psychologists.

Treasury: EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke: Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation.EU Directives related to HM Treasury responsibilities awaiting transposition into UK law are as follows: The Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, The Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive, VAT Vouchers Directive, Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II, the Payment Services Directive II, the Insurance Distribution Directive and amendment to the Directive on Administrative Assistance and Mutual Cooperation.

Inflation

Matthew Pennycook: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of replacing the Bank of England's two per cent inflation target with a two to three per cent inflation target averaged over the business cycle

Simon Kirby: A comprehensive Review of the Monetary Policy Framework was published in 2013, considering the benefits and costs of a number of different monetary policy frameworks. The current remit for the Monetary Policy Committee reflects the assessment set out in the Review, which includes retaining a flexible inflation targeting framework, with a 2 per cent symmetric inflation target, as measured by the 12 month change in the Consumer Prices Index. The remit also states that the MPC may allow inflation to deviate from this target temporarily in order not to cause undesirable volatility in output due to the short-term trade-offs involved.

Financial Services: Euro

Hilary Benn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the potential change in (a) the number of jobs in the UK and (b) tax revenue collected by HM Treasury in the event of euro-denominated clearing being no longer permitted once the UK leaves the EU.

Mr David Gauke: The ability to clear financial instruments denominated in different currencies in the same clearing house (CCP) brings considerable efficiency savings to customers. UK CCPs are supervised to the highest global standards by the Bank of England and the Government will keep on doing what it takes to see the UK’s financial industry remains a world leader.

UK Trade with EU

Hilary Benn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the annual (a) percentage change and (b) change to the nearest million pounds in tax revenue to HM Treasury in the event of the UK leaving the EU without securing any preferential trade agreements and reverting to standard World Trade Organisation rules from current trading relationships.

Mr David Gauke: As the Prime minister has said, we want the best outcome for Britain. That means pursuing a bespoke arrangement which gives British companies the maximum freedom to trade with and operate in the single market, and enables us to decide for ourselves how we control immigration.

UK Trade with EU

Hilary Benn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the percentage change in (a) trade, (b) foreign direct investment and (c) the level of productivity in the UK in the event of the UK leaving the EU without securing any preferential trade agreements and reverting to standard World Trade Organisation rules from current trading relationships.

Mr David Gauke: As the Prime Minister has said, we want the best outcome for Britain. That means pursuing a bespoke arrangement which gives British companies the maximum freedom to trade with and operate in the single market, and enables us to decide for ourselves how we control immigration.

UK Trade with EU

Hilary Benn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the (a) percentage change in GDP and (b) change in the number of jobs in the UK in the event of the UK leaving the EU without securing any preferential trade agreements and reverting to standard World Trade Organisation rules from current trading relationships.

Mr David Gauke: As the Prime Minister has said, we want the best outcome for Britain. That means pursuing a bespoke arrangement which gives British companies the maximum freedom to trade with and operate in the single market, and enables us to decide for ourselves how we control immigration.

EU Grants and Loans

Seema Malhotra: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which projects in the UK are (a) currently funded and (b) due to be funded by the European Investment Bank.

Seema Malhotra: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his plans are for the UK's future relationship with the European Investment Bank.

Seema Malhotra: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent meetings he has had with representatives of the European Investment Bank.

Seema Malhotra: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the UK received in funding from the European Investment Bank in the last three years.

Mr David Gauke: While the UK remains a full member of the European Union it retains all of the rights, obligations and benefits that membership brings. The long-term relationship between the UK and the EIB will need to be resolved as part of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the UK Governor of the European Investment Bank and continues to fulfil his governance duties. The Chancellor continues to meet his European counterparts on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues. The EIB publish all loans made to UK borrowers as well as details on all future projects yet to be financed. Between 2013 and 2015, the UK received €20.7bn in EIB financing. The link below provides full details on EIB lending to the UK.http://www.eib.org/projects/regions/european-union/united-kingdom/index.htm

Concentrix: Standards

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of (a) the amount of money wrongly withheld from benefit claimants due to errors made by Concentrix and (b) the average length of time that payments were mistakenly withheld.

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have had their tax credits stopped and subsequently reinstated by Concentrix due to incorrect information held on claimants cohabiting.

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many claimants in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Redcar and Cleveland and (d) Middlesbrough have had a tax credit claimed stopped and subsequently reinstated by Concentrix in each of the last 12 months.

Jane Ellison: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is currently focussed on resolving the outstanding cases but will be preparing analysis, which will be available in due course. HMRC does not keep records of the total number of people who had their tax credits payments withheld, or for how long

Electronic Cigarettes: Taxation

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations the UK Government has made to the World Health Organisation on proposals to change tax rates for e-cigarettes.

Jane Ellison: HMT has made no representations to the WHO on proposals to change tax rates for e-cigarettes.

Concentrix: Standards

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has been made of the performance of Concentrix in resolving complaints regarding how they have dealt with tax credit claims.

Jane Ellison: Concentrix are required to respond to any complaints which relate to the quality of their handling of compliance interventions, as distinct from complaints on the substance of these investigations which are dealt with by HM Revenue and Customs. Further details are available in section A21 of the Concentrix contract. The contract is in the public domain and can be found at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/85d1b730-5e4e-4be8-ae4c-3ac1f359afc7. Concentrix’s contract requires them to respond 80% of these complaints within 15 working days; and to reply to 100% of complaints within 40 working days. From November 2014 to 12 October 2016, Concentrix have received 97 complaints. They replied to 61.86% within 15 days and 70.11% within 40 days.

Exchange Rates

Douglas Chapman: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on the UK economy of the recent fall in the value of sterling against the US dollar.

Mr David Gauke: Before the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, the UK government published short-term and long-term assessments of the likely impact on the UK economy from leaving the EU, including the effects of sterling revaluation. HM Government is monitoring economic developments closely and the independent Office for Budget Responsibility will produce an updated economic forecast alongside Autumn Statement 2016.

World Health Organisation

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the UK's annual financial contribution to the World Health Organisation is.

Mr David Gauke: The UK’s annual subscription to the WHO, provided by the Department of Health, is approximately £15m per annum. The Department for International Development provides additional ODA-eligible funding for bilateral programming and core contributions. In 2014, the latest year for which figures are published, this totaled £99m.

Child Tax Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what reduction in entitlement he expects for the average family affected by the limitation to two children of the child element of child tax credit in 2017-18.

Stephen Timms: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of children that will be living in families affected by the limitation to two children of (a) the child element of child tax credit and (b) child additions within universal credit in (i) 2017-18 and (ii) 2020-21.

Mr David Gauke: There will be no cash losers as a result of the Government’s policy to limit support to two children in Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit. From 6 April 2017 families will no longer be able to claim additional support of up to £2,780 per child per year for third and subsequent children born on or after this date through Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit. We recognise that some claimants are not able to make choices about the number of children in their family. We have been clear that there will be exceptions for certain groups.

Individual Savings Accounts

Richard Graham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many financial institutions offer the (a) flexible ISA, (b) help to buy ISA and (c) innovative finance ISA.

Jane Ellison: The Treasury does not have details of how many financial institutions offer a flexible ISA, which allows savers to replace cash they have withdrawn from their ISA earlier in the year without this replacement counting towards the ISA subscription limit. The Help to Buy ISA is currently offered by 24 providers and 17 institutions have been approved by HM Revenue and Customs to offer Innovative Finance ISAs.

Individual Savings Accounts

Richard Graham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value of assets is in pounds sterling in (a) the flexible ISA, (b) the help to buy ISA and (c) the innovative finance ISA.

Jane Ellison: The Innovative Finance ISA and ISA flexibility were introduced in April 2016, and so no reported data on the value of assets held is available yet. Flexible ISAs are not a separate ISA product. The Help to Buy ISA is a cash ISA product. The total market value of cash ISAs at the end of 2015-16 was £251billion.

Construction: Taxation

Ian Murray: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the loss of revenue to the Treasury as a result of (a) bogus self-employment and (b) workers being paid under the Construction Industry Scheme.

Jane Ellison: The House of Commons Library published a briefing paper, Self-employment in the construction industry, on 23 May 2016. The paper identifies that employment intermediaries facilitating false self-employment is the main source of bogus self-employment. HMRC estimated this had resulted in 200,000 people wrongly designated. There is no separate estimate of false self-employment within the Construction Industry Scheme.

Construction: Self-employed

Ian Murray: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to prevent false self-employment in the construction industry.

Jane Ellison: In 2014 the Government recognised that employment intermediaries were increasingly being used to facilitate false self-employment in the construction industry. In response, the Government introduced tax rules in Finance Act 2014, which means that an intermediary now has to operate PAYE and NICs if there is control over the worker. It was estimated that this would lead to 200,000 workers being correctly treated as employed. Since April 2015, intermediaries also have to submit a quarterly electronic return if they have made payments to a worker without deductions under PAYE. The first returns were made to HMRC in July and November 2015, and HMRC is using the information to tackle false self-employment through intermediaries.

Individual Savings Accounts

Richard Graham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will take steps to ensure that consumers are aware that Lifetime ISA savings are from tax income whereas auto enrolment-contributions are from untaxed contributions.

Jane Ellison: The Government has always been clear that pension contributions receive generous tax relief. With all ISAs, all contributions to a Lifetime ISA will be made from an individual’s post tax income. They will then get a 25% bonus from the Government, up to the £4,000 yearly limit. The Government wants to make sure people have the information they need to make important financial decisions, and will publish factual information about the Lifetime ISA on gov.uk.

Department for Work and Pensions

Department for Work and Pensions: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of the staff employed by his Department are non-UK nationals.

Caroline Nokes: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules.Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many old-age pensioners in Ashfield constituency who live in social housing properties containing two or more bedrooms and who receive housing benefit will be affected by plans to limit housing benefit to the level of the local housing allowance.

Caroline Nokes: The information requested is not available.For general needs accommodation in the social rented sector, the appropriate Local Housing Allowance rate will not come into effect in the social rented sector until April 2018; and then only where a new tenancy has been taken out or an existing tenancy has been renewed on or after 1 April 2016.In the previous Parliament, we significantly increased funding for Discretionary Housing Payments to £470 million and we have already committed a further £870 million in the overall Discretionary Housing Payment funding over the next five years.Full impact and equality assessments will be undertaken in due course.

Whooping Cough: Vaccination

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2016 to Question 42446, how many people have (a) claimed and (b) received payment under the vaccine damages payment scheme where one of the vaccines cited in the claim was (i) whole cell vaccine for pertussis used up to 2003 and (ii) acellular vaccine used after 2003.

Penny Mordaunt: Of the 4236 claims identified in answer to Question 42446, 256 cited the DTaP/IPV/HIB or DTaP/IPV, the acellular vaccine for pertussis, on the claim form. As stated in answer to Question 42446, 710 of the 4236 claims noted resulted in award, of which 2 cited the acellular vaccine on the claim form. As previously advised it is not possible to state how many, if any, of the claims listed above were made specifically in relation to pertussis.

Housing Benefit: Supported Housing

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people who will be affected by the proposed cap on housing benefit for people living in supported housing; and what estimate he has made of the average reduction in housing benefit for people so affected.

Caroline Nokes: The information requested is not available. Supported accommodation plays a vital role in the lives of many vulnerable people. That is why on 15 September 2016 we announced, via a Written Ministerial Statement, that we would be deferring the application of Local Housing Allowance Rates in the social sector for supported housing until 2019/20, at which point we will bring in a new funding model which will ensure that the sector continues to be funded at current levels, taking into account the effect of Government policy on social sector rent.

Vacancies: Internet

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to monitor Universal Jobmatch for duplicate and fake advertisements.

Damian Hinds: Universal Jobmatch is a self-service job posting service for employers, jobs boards and recruitment agencies.Built into the service are monitoring tools and vacancy checks which help to detect, deter and remedy inappropriate use of the site.All vacancies posted on Universal Jobmatch must meet the Terms & Conditions which includes that an account holder must not post duplicate jobs.Where there is a breach of Terms & Conditions, service to the employer or recruiter may be permanently withdrawn.Checks are also made to identify inappropriate, fraudulent and bogus jobs in order to block them from being posted. Additionally, 'Contact Us' and ‘report this job’ facilities are provided so that users can quickly highlight any employers that they may have concerns about, which are then investigated.

Social Security Benefits

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance the Government makes available to people awaiting a fully back-dated benefits entitlement payment.

Penny Mordaunt: No guidance is required because the need to pay benefit without delay is in legislation. We inform claimants once a decision to backdate payment has been made and endeavour to make all payments as quickly as possible.

Occupational Pensions

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 45590, what representations he has made to the Defined Benefit pension sector on pension deficits reported in September 2016; what steps his Department is taking to support that sector in decreasing their deficit; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington: We are continuing to look at issues affecting DB schemes and we have been exploring whether there is more that this Government can do. However, any potential changes would need to be considered very carefully against the need to ensure appropriate protection for members, the impact on business, and the needs of the wider economy.

Children: Maintenance

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to change the calculation for child maintenance payments to take into account the outgoings of the non-resident parent.

Caroline Nokes: We have no plans to change the treatment of a non-resident parent’s outgoings within the calculation of child maintenance.There is currently allowance made for:other children that live in the non-resident parent’s household;children they support under a court order or family-based arrangement; andfor providing shared care for any of their children.Certain additional costs can also be taken into account - for example costs incurred in caring for a disabled child.The calculation of a child maintenance liability is based on a percentage of the Non-Resident Parent’s income. This is broadly aligned with the proportion of their income a parent would normally spend on their child if they lived with them. This gives the Non-Resident Parent freedom to decide how to adjust their spending in light of their obligation to their child or children, as they would do if they lived with them.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the forthcoming change to limit housing benefit to the level of Local Housing Allowance on old age pensioners living in social housing properties with two or more bedrooms.

Caroline Nokes: This policy does not come into effect until April 2018. It will only apply to people who have taken out or renewed a tenancy on or after 1st April 2016; and their rent is higher than the appropriate Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate. For general needs accommodation social rents are generally lower than the LHA rates.We have increased funding for Discretionary Housing Payments by £70million, to help those who are vulnerable to mitigate the impact. In total we have provided DHP funding of £870 million over the next five years to help people adapt to the new reforms announced in the Autumn Statement and Summer Budget 2015.

Work Programme

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish updated guidance for Work Programme providers on requests to review action plans by claimants.

Damian Hinds: Reviewed and updated guidance for Work Programme providers regarding their obligations around action plans for claimants and the associated mandatory requirements was published in February 2016.

Department for Work and Pensions: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of staff on the payroll of his Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Caroline Nokes: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Department for Work and Pensions: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of his Department.

Caroline Nokes: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.Since 1998 the Department for Work and Pensions occupies space provided through a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) known as the PRIME Contract which expires on 31 March 2018. Under the terms of this PFI Contract the Department leases fully serviced accommodation from our private sector partner Telereal Trillium. This Contract provides a variety of facility management services including the provision of cleaning, provided by Engie.

Funeral Payments

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment Scheme his Department has (a) received and (b) accepted in each of the last five years in (i) Birmingham, Northfield constituency, (ii) West Midlands and (iii) England.

Caroline Nokes: Table 1 below gives the number of applications for Funeral Expenses Payments received in England and in the West Midlands government office region for each of the last 5 financial years from 2011/12 to 2015/16. Table 2 gives the number of awards for Funeral Expenses Payments made in those two areas.DWP does not hold data on Funeral Expenses Payments at constituency level. Table 1: Applications received for Funeral Expenses Payments in West Midlands and England between 2011/12 and 2015/16 2011/122012/132013/142014/152015/16 West Midlands 6,8006,6006,0004,9004,500 England 55,70053,20048,00040,90035,900 Source: Policy, Budget and Management Information System  Table 2: Awards made for Funeral Expenses Payments in West Midlands and England between 2011/12 and 2015/16 2011/122012/132014/142014/152015/16West Midlands 3,8003,7003,3003,0003,000  England 30,20028,00026,60025,60022,800  Source: Policy, Budget and Management Information System NotesThe number of applications and awards are rounded to the nearest 100.The applications figures are based on applications received by DWP, not applications processed. Some applications may have been withdrawn before a decision was made.The award figures include awards made after review, reconsideration or appeal following an initial refusal.These figures do not include applications which were processed clerically and have not been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System.The number of awards made in each year is not equal to the number of people who made applications or received awards in that year. An individual may make multiple applications in a given time period.

State Retirement Pensions

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the triple lock pension policy on the number of pensioners living in poverty in (a) Woking constituency, (b) the South East and (c) the UK.

Richard Harrington: While we can’t draw a direct link between the triple lock and pensioner poverty, pensioner poverty is at one of the lowest rates since records began, with 100,000 fewer pensioners in relative poverty (after housing costs) than there were in 2009/10. Pensioners are now less likely to be in relative and absolute low income after housing costs than the population as a whole. The Government continues to support the poorest pensioners, not least through Pension Credit which tops up income to a guaranteed minimum level of £155.60 for a single person and £237.55 for couples.The Government wants all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement. We have committed to maintain the triple lock to 2020, the guarantee that both the basic State Pension and the new State Pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings, price increase or 2.5%. The full basic State Pension is now over £1,100 a year higher than it was at the start of the last Parliament. This is benefitting many of the 17,000 recipients of the State Pension in Woking, the 1.7 million recipients in the South East and the 13 million recipients in the UK.

Occupational Pensions

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44305, what estimate he has made of the number of people who are not in receipt of the expected level of guaranteed income because their defined benefit pension fund is in deficit.

Richard Harrington: None - the fact that a pension scheme is in deficit does not mean that it cannot pay the pensions which are currently in payment. A deficit simply means that the assets currently held by the scheme are insufficient to meet the estimated cost of paying all the scheme’s existing and future pension liabilities when they fall due. In these circumstances trustees agree deficit repair contributions to eliminate any deficit over an appropriate period with the sponsor, taking into account scheme and employer circumstances.In the unlikely event that a scheme has insufficient assets to pay current pensions calculated under scheme rules, the sponsoring employer must pay additional contributions into the scheme. If the sponsoring employer cannot do so because it becomes insolvent, the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) is in place to ensure that members receive an appropriate level of compensation.

Children: Maintenance

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that parents who are making child support payments to the Child Maintenance Service are not charged for the Collect and Pay service, where all reasonable attempts are made by the two parties to use the Direct Pay service.

Caroline Nokes: The 30 month review, which will consider the impact of fees and charging will be complete by the end of 2016 and findings from the review will be published in early 2017.Where parents are able to agree, a Direct Pay arrangement means that collection charges can be avoided. Where this is not possible, it is vital that the Collect and Pay service remains available where the Child Maintenance Service collect and administer the payments on the parents’ behalf – and for that service to be subject to charges provides an incentive for parents to make Direct Pay work where they can.

Work and Health Programme

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2016 to Question 38327, when his Department plans to publish its Work and Health Green Paper.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to publish its Work and Health Green Paper; and if he will make a statement.

Penny Mordaunt: We will publish a Green Paper later this year.

Unpaid Work

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the prevalence of employer's using unpaid trial shifts, particularly in the hospitality sector.

Damian Hinds: The Department does not make any assessment of employers using unpaid trial shifts for any sectors including hospitality.

Social Fund

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many reports his Department has received on the number of letters on the Social Fund sent and lost in the in the post in the last 12 months.

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many reports his Department has received on the number of letters on the Fraud and Error Service sent and lost in the in the post in the last 12 months.

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many reports his Department has received on the number of letters on employment and support allowance sent and lost in the post in the last 12 months.

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many reports his Department has received on the number of letters to the Compensation Recovery Unit sent and lost in the post in the last 12 months.

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many reports his Department has received on the number of letters on the disability living allowance 65+ have been sent and lost in the post in the last 12 months.

Caroline Nokes: The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Work Programme

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints his Department has received from hon. Members on the service of Ingeus as a Work Programme provider in the last 12 months.

Damian Hinds: The information requested is not available other than at disproportionate cost.

Employment Schemes

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any companies that participate in his Department's work trial programme for claimants who are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance are known to use unpaid trial shifts as part of their general recruitment process.

Damian Hinds: The Department does not keep records of the general recruitment practices of companies that offer a Work Trial opportunity.

Unemployment: Young People

William Wragg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress he has made in reducing long-term youth unemployment.

Damian Hinds: We have made considerable progress since 2010. Youth unemployment has fallen by a third and there are now nearly 320,000 fewer young people unemployed. Only 5.7% of the youth population are unemployed and not in full-time education – a rate that is a near record low.

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work after the UK leaves the EU.

Penny Mordaunt: The United Kingdom will continue to participate in the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work while we remain a member of the European Union (EU). Decisions on any future participation after we leave the EU will be dependent on the outcome of the exit negotiations.

Social Security Benefits: Data Protection

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps he plans to take to strengthen the protection of personal claimant data stored online.

Caroline Nokes: The Department adopts best practice to protect the data it stores as advised by other agencies and Government and industry standards; and in doing so uses a range of technologies that detect and prevent data breaches. The use of these technologies is based on a risk focused approach to security and is a continuing process.

Social Mobility

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to publish its Life Changes Strategy.

Damian Hinds: The Prime Minister is clear that tackling poverty and disadvantage, and delivering real social reform, is a priority for this Government and we will be coming back to the House with a number of announcements over the coming months.

Attendance Allowance

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 44901, if he will make the advertising costs of attendance allowance readily available either (a) during or (b) after the consultation on the devolution of attendance allowance.

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 44898, if he will make it his policy to collect the total administrative costs related to attendance allowance in 2015-16 (a) during the consultation and (b) after the consultation on the devolution of attendance allowance.

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 44900, if he will publish the number of people with cancer who applied for attendance allowance under the special rules for people with terminal illness in each of the last five years either (a) during or (b) after the consultation on the devolution of attendance allowance.

Penny Mordaunt: The consultation “Self-sufficient local government: 100% business rates retention” published by the Department for Communities and Local Government sought views on a range of options for devolving new responsibilities to local government including more responsibility for caring for older people. The feedback from that consultation which closed on 26 September is currently being analysed and a response will be published in due course. The Government would undertake a further consultation, accompanied by a relevant impact assessment, if any changes were to be proposed in relation to Attendance Allowance. The information on administrative costs related to Attendance Allowance is collected by DWP but is not currently available for the financial year 2015-16. The information requested on applications is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Information on claims awarded under the special rules for people with terminal illness is available from the DWP Tabulation Tool: http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html.

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in a case where an applicant has been refused employment and support allowance (ESA), the disallowance has been confirmed following mandatory reconsideration and an appeal against the refusal has been submitted, in what circumstances ESA is payable pending the outcome of the appeal.

Penny Mordaunt: Employment and Support Allowance can be paid at the assessment phase rate pending the appeal hearing as long as the conditions of entitlement are satisfied. Employment and Support Allowance is not payable pending an appeal where a claimant has previously been found fit for work following a Work Capability Assessment and makes a repeat claim for benefit and is found to be fit for work again.

British Steel: Pensions

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made a decision not to provide any support for the British Steel Pension Scheme which would require new secondary legislation in the way proposed in the British Steel Pension Scheme: Public Consultation; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington: The consultation paper set out various options for potentially helping the British Steel Pension Scheme as a part of a wider package of Government support to do what we can for UK steel, steel workers and affected localities. The consultation closed on 23 June, and we will respond in due course.

Pensions: Fraud

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Pensions Ombudsman on how that body investigates instances of suspected fraudulent documents being received from pension trustees.

Richard Harrington: The Pensions Ombudsman is an independent statutory Commissioner and the conduct of his investigations is solely a matter for him. He has advised the Department that instances of suspected fraudulent documents would be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. The Pensions Ombudsman’s general approach would be to look for evidence to support a claim that a document is fraudulent and would consider holding an oral hearing to assist him in this regard.

Pensions: Fraud

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department  holds on the number of fraudulent documents received by the Pensions Ombudsman in each year since 2010-11.

Richard Harrington: In view of the Pensions Ombudsman’s independent status, information about the documents he receives is held by him alone. The Pensions Ombudsman has advised that the information requested is unavailable because he does not collect data on the number of suspected fraudulent documents received by his office.

Attendance Allowance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2016 to Question 43519, what assessment he has made of the potential financial effect of proposed changes to the administration of attendance allowance on local authorities with the highest proportions of attendance allowance cases in payment.

Penny Mordaunt: The consultation “Self-sufficient local government: 100% business rates retention” published by the Department for Communities and Local Government sought views on a range of options for devolving new responsibilities to local government including more responsibility for caring for older people. This was not a consultation on the devolution of Attendance Allowance and the Government would consult further, in good time, if any changes were to be proposed in relation to Attendance Allowance. The feedback from that consultation which closed on 26 September is currently being analysed and a response will be published in due course.

Living Wage: Unemployment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the national living wage on unemployment levels.

Damian Hinds: The National Living Wage has already given one million people a pay rise, helping build an economy that works for all. The Government will continue to consider expert advice on future increases in the National Living Wage from the Low Pay Commission.

Employment: Offenders

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on increasing the employment rate of ex-offenders.

Damian Hinds: This Government and my Department recognise that supporting ex-offenders into work is a crucial part of effective rehabilitation. I am in regular contact with the Minister for Prisons, and we will be meeting on this issue next week.

Occupational Pensions

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to help protect the pensions of long-serving employees.

Richard Harrington: We have a well-established regime of checks and balances in place, for example the Pension Protection Fund and the Pensions Regulator. The Government keeps this framework for pensions under constant review, and amends it when evidence demonstrates such change is needed

Unemployment: Young People

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce youth unemployment in areas with high levels of youth unemployment.

Damian Hinds: Since 2010 the youth claimant count has fallen in all regions, and only 5.7% of the youth population are unemployed and not in full-time education, a rate that is near record low. We are investing further in an intensive support regime for young people, equipping them with vital skills to not only find a job, but build capability to sustain work.

Cabinet Office

UK Withdrawal from EU

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the membership is of the Cabinet committee for exiting the EU.

Ben Gummer: The full list of Cabinet Committees, including terms of reference and membership, will be published soon.

Intelligence and Security Committee

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on how many occasions Ministers in his Department have delayed providing information to the Intelligence and Security Committee in order to make a determination as to whether to share that information as set out in Schedule 1 to the Justice and Security Act 2013.

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on how many occasions Ministers in his Department have declined to disclose information to the Intelligence and Security Committee under Schedule 1 to the Justice and Security Act 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Gummer: The Cabinet Office is unable to find any record of having declined to disclose information to the Intelligence and Security Committee under Schedule 1 of the Justice and Security Act 2013.The Cabinet Office is unable to find any record of having unreasonably delayed providing information to the Intelligence and Security Committee in order to make a determination as to whether to share that information, as set out in Schedule 1 of the Justice and Security Act 2013.

New Businesses

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many new businesses have been registered in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey, (c) the South East and (d) the UK since 2010.

Chris Skidmore: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Response to PQ 46754
(PDF Document, 71.78 KB)

Business Appointments Advisory Committee

Steve McCabe: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments in scrutinising the suitability of business appointments for former Ministers in government.

Ben Gummer: The Government believes that the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments discharges its remit effectively and efficiently.

Government Departments: Procurement

Richard Burden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2016 to Question 46376, how many projects managed by each Government Department the Infrastructure Projects Authority currently oversees; what the current status is of each project; and whether each such project is (a) ahead, on, or behind schedule and (b) under, on or over budget.

Ben Gummer: Under transparency policy, we release the data annually (6 months in arrears) through the IPA Annual Report. The most recent report can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/535243/ipa_annual_report_on_major_projects_2015_2016.pdf

Civil Servants: EU Nationals

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to introduce restrictions on the posts that EU nationals are able to (a) work in and (b) apply for within the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Gummer: All Civil Service bodies are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules that are currently in effect.We have no current plans to amend the rules, but will keep the matter under review.

Rhabdomyosarcoma

Jim Shannon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been diagnosed with the rare cancer rhabdomyosarcoma in each of the last five years by (a) age group and (b) gender; and what proportion of those people died in each of those years.

Chris Skidmore: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA response to PQ48088
(PDF Document, 83.68 KB)

Members: Females

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect of proposed boundary changes on the potential number of female hon. Members in the next Parliament.

Chris Skidmore: We do not believe there is an inherent or structural reason why female representation in the House of Commons should be affected by updating Parliamentary boundaries. Each constituent part of the United Kingdom will be treated equally. The appointment of candidates to contest these new seats will be a matter for political parties. We consider that it is primarily for political parties to ensure more diverse representation (including that of women) in the House of Commons through their selection of candidates.

Electoral Register

Mr David Nuttall: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what checks are made to ensure that a person is eligible to vote when they register to vote online.

Chris Skidmore: Online applications to register to vote are processed under the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service, operated by the Cabinet Office. This service checks the details provided by the applicant, including their National Insurance number, against government data before passing the application to the relevant local electoral administration team.Responsibility for determining the validity of an application lies with each local Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). For applications with no National Insurance number and other applications not verified through the digital service, the ERO will seek further information regarding identity. For all applications, the ERO is also responsible for ensuring that other eligibility requirements, such as the nationality of the applicant, are satisfactorily met.The Government considers the integrity of the electoral register of the utmost importance and has recently welcomed the report published by Sir Eric Pickles into electoral fraud. It is the Government’s intention to respond to this report shortly.

Former Ministers: Employment

Paul Flynn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many former ministers since May 2015 (a) have taken up employment in roles which directly relate to positions they held in Government and (b) are working in the private sector.

Ben Gummer: Information about appointments taken up by former Ministers after leaving office is published on the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACoBA) website and in the Committee’s annual report.

Department for International Trade

USA: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when he next plans to meet his US counterpart to discuss Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership proposals.

Greg Hands: The UK continues to support an ambitious Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement between the EU and US. As such, Department for International Trade ministers and officials meet with US counterparts on an on-going basis to discuss matters relating to TTIP.

Trade Agreements

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with representatives of the 53 countries with which Britain holds free trade agreements (FTAs) through its membership of the EU on the timetable for replacing those agreements with bilateral FTAs.

Greg Hands: The Prime Minister has been clear, we are not going to provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of these negotiations. We recognise the need for a smooth transition as the UK leaves the EU which minimises disruption to our trading relationships. Ministers and officials in the Department for International Trade are working closely with counterparts across a wide range of markets in order to promote the UK as a great place to do business and with which to trade. We are taking advantage of all the opportunities available to us to ensure that Britain becomes the global leader in free trade once we leave the EU.

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 7 June 2016 to Question 38925, what the planned opening date is for a reading room for hon. Members to scrutinise classified documents relating to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

Greg Hands: The UK remains committed to supporting an ambitious Transatlantic Trade and Investment deal which cuts regulatory and bureaucratic barriers without lowering standards, removes the remaining tariffs between the EU and US, and opens up opportunities for businesses.As hon. Members will have read in a letter from my noble Friend the Minister of State (Lord Price CVO) for Trade Policy on 11 October, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership reading room will be open from 19 October. This will allow all hon. Members and Peers to view documents that the European Commission and US have agreed can be shared with national parliamentarians on a confidential basis.

Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2016 to Question 41468, when he plans to lay the draft text of the EU-Canada Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement before Parliament.

Greg Hands: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 October to the hon. Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (Jonathan Edwards), UIN 46479.

Department for International Trade: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of his Department.

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what proportion of staff on the payroll of his Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Greg Hands: I refer the hon. Member for Southport to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak on 13 October, UIN 47419, 47396.

Trade in Services Agreement

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will publish the latest proposals on the Trade in Services Agreement.

Greg Hands: Information on the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) can be found on the European Commission’s dedicated TiSA website. In a bid to encourage transparency, the European Commission has published a large number of documents including its revised TiSA offer from May 2016, the EU proposals for institutional provisions and state-to-state dispute settlement, position papers and factsheets.

Trade in Services Agreement: Climate Change Convention

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Trade in Services Agreement supports the targets set at the COP21 climate change conference.

Greg Hands: Negotiations of the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) are ongoing. A trade sustainability impact assessment is being conducted on the TiSA. The terms of reference of the report include analysis of the impact of the TiSA on climate change. The final inception report can be found on the European Commission’s DG Trade website.The Department for International Trade works closely with the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and other departments to ensure the TiSA aligns with the UK’s wider policy objectives. Irrespective of what is agreed in TiSA, all signatories to the Paris agreement will have to meet their climate change commitments under that agreement.

Department for International Trade: Staff

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many trade negotiators he has hired since 23 June 2016; and what the aggregate cost is of their contracts.

Greg Hands: The Department for International Trade already has a strong and capable trade policy team which has more than doubled in size since 23 June. Over the coming months we will be developing that team to build the world class negotiating strengths needed to deliver the best outcomes for the UK. They will have the depth and breadth of expertise to handle the full range of sectoral and cross-cutting issues that arise in trade agreements, supported by analysts and lawyers. We will continue to hire the brightest and best talent from within the UK civil service and in time, will look to enhance our team by drawing on expertise from elsewhere.

Department for International Trade: Consultants

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many times his Department has used the services of (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) KPMG and (e) other consulting firms since his Department was established; and what (i) work was undertaken and (ii) the cost to the public purse was on each such occasion.

Greg Hands: The information will take time to collate. I will place this in the libraries of the House as soon as the information is available.

UK Trade with EU

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what schedules his Department has prepared for World Trade Organisation tariffs on goods and services for the period after the UK has exited the EU.

Greg Hands: The UK already has World Trade Organisation (WTO) schedules for goods and services, contained within those of the EU.

Department for International Trade: Public Expenditure

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what his Department's capital and current budgets are for (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18.

Greg Hands: The newly created Department for International Trade (DIT) has been formed from the previous UK Trade and Investent (UKTI) and from the Trade Policy Unit of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). My Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade also has responsibility for UK Export Finance (the Export Credits Guarantee Department), which has its own budget.The estimated annual budgeted operating costs of the department for the next four years are currently being established and will be submitted to parliament later this financial year.

Trade Promotion: Commonwealth

William Wragg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK withdrawing from the EU on the promotion of UK trade with other Commonwealth countries.

Greg Hands: Withdrawing from the EU will give us the opportunity to shape our own international trade and investment opportunities, drive even greater openness with international partners and put Britain firmly at the forefront of global trade and investment.We already enjoy excellent trading relationships with Commonwealth partners and we are committed to strengthening these further.The UK is co-hosting, with Malta, the inaugural Commonwealth Trade Minister’s meeting in London in March 2017. This will be an excellent opportunity to promote greater trade and investment within the Commonwealth.

Department for International Trade: European Commission

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which EU commissioners he has met since taking office; and when and where such meetings took place.

Greg Hands: My Rt. hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade met with the EU Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmström at the European Commission offices in Geneva on September 27.

Department for International Trade: Visits Abroad

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2016 to Question 45359, whether people not from government departments have accompanied him on official visits abroad.

Greg Hands: My Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade has been only accompanied by Government officials on all foreign visits.

Corruption

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what policies UK Export Finance has developed for investigating transactions involving foreign bribery which cannot be investigated by law enforcement authorities.

Greg Hands: UK Export Finance takes issues of bribery extremely seriously. It takes precautions, including by making reasonable enquiries, to avoid financial loss by becoming involved in transactions that may be tainted by corruption.Before providing support, it carries out anti-bribery due diligence in line with the 2006 OECD Bribery Recommendation. This informs how export credit agencies such as UK Export Finance should undertake anti-bribery due diligence.UK Export Finance does not have investigatory powers, but will not grant its support until it has satisfied itself from the information it has available that exports are not tainted by bribery or corruption. Where UK Export Finance suspects foreign bribery it reports it to the Serious Fraud Office.

Trade Promotion: Central America

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to promote trade between the UK and countries in Central America.

Greg Hands: This Department has identified opportunities and resourced campaigns to access high value sectors including automotive, defence, technology, mining, oil & gas and financial services across the region.

Trade Promotion

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of commissioning a new Royal Yacht for the promotion of UK trade abroad.

Mark Garnier: I outlined the Government’s position on commissioning a new Royal Yacht for trade promotion during the debate in Westminster Hall on 11 October.https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2016-10-11/debates/A35B4CBD-3DFE-4BB7-B9C4-BB9E99422890/RoyalYachtBritanniaInternationalTrade

Trade Promotion: Australasia

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to promote trade between the UK and (a) Australia and (b) New Zealand.

Greg Hands: The department has identified opportunities and resourced campaigns to access high value sectors including defence, consumer & retail and financial services across the region.

Trade: Ireland

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts and officials in the Irish government and the Northern Ireland Executive on trade and export opportunities in (a) Northern Europe, (b) the US and (c) Asia Pacific countries.

Greg Hands: On 1st August 2016, my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade held meetings in Belfast with Northern Ireland Executive First Minister Arlene Foster MLA and Minister for the Economy Simon Hamilton MLA. A range of topics were discussed including growing exports for Northern Ireland and establishing new UK trading relationships around the globe. During these constructive discussions he underlined the importance that he places on the Department for International Trade serving the whole of the United Kingdom.The Department for International Trade continues to engage with Republic of Ireland officials, collaborating on trade and exports including most recently at the meeting of UK Permanent Secretaries with their Republic of Ireland Counterparts in London on 7 October.

Department for International Trade: Visits Abroad

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2016 to Question 46319, what overseas visits he has made as Secretary of State for International Trade since the establishment of his Department.

Greg Hands: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale on 10 October, UIN 46309.

Richard Paniguian

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether any conditions were imposed on Sir Richard Paniguian's appointment to the board of Raytheon Systems.

Greg Hands: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills considered Richard Paniguian’s application to take up a Non–Executive Director role with Raytheon under the Business Appointment Rules.The Department approved the above appointment subject to the conditions that:Richard should not draw on privileged information available to him from his time in Crown service; andfor two years from his last day of service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of Raytheon or its clients.

Department for International Trade: Staff

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many civil servants who work for his Department work in each EU member state other than the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Hands: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak on 13 October, UIN 47419 and 47396.

Trade Agreements: Commonwealth

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2016 to Question 46317, whether he plans to review the terms of those trade deals.

Greg Hands: The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate, in time, our own trade agreements and to be a positive and powerful force for free trade. We already enjoy excellent trading relationships with our Commonwealth partners and we are committed to strengthening these further.

Department for International Trade: Staff

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many applicants his Department has received for trade negotiator positions; how many such applicants have been invited for interview; to how many such applicants job offers have been made; and how many such applicants have started work in his Department.

Greg Hands: The Department for International Trade already has a strong and capable trade policy team which has more than doubled in size since 23 June. Over the coming months we will be developing that team to build the world class negotiating strengths needed to deliver the best outcomes for the UK. They will have the depth and breadth of expertise to handle the full range of sectoral and cross-cutting issues that arise in trade agreements, supported by analysts and lawyers.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of her Department.

George Eustice: This information is not held. The cleaners for Defra’s Westminster estate are provided by Interserve (Facilities Management) Ltd. The contract with the supplier requires them to follow all the appropriate checks when employing non British nationals, but the supplier has advised that they do not keep internal statistics about employees being British or non-British.

Fisheries

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to ensure the UK fishing industry retains access to the EU market after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: We are about to begin negotiations to realise the opportunities we have from exiting the EU, and securing access for trade will be part of our future policy work. While trade is important, having access to fishing grounds and setting appropriate catch levels are also crucial to ensuring a prosperous catching sector and sustainable management of the fish stocks; the issues are inter-related.

EU Grants and Loans

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy that UK recipients of EU fisheries and other scientific funding receive the same level of funding as part of the UK's negotiations on leaving the EU.

George Eustice: Defra officials will be working with the Department for Exiting the EU to look at future policies for fisheries. We will continue to work closely with relevant industry and other key stakeholders to develop these new arrangements which will consider existing support provided to the fisheries community.

Air Pollution

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals for a new clean air act.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: There is extensive existing legislation to support action to improve air quality. Councils can already implement clean air zones although we are introducing legislation which will allow the government to mandate councils to take action. A consultation seeking views on the draft Clean Air Zone Framework and on the draft regulation mandating the implementation of Clean Air Zones was published on the 13 of October. Legislative proposals are being drafted related to the implementation of the Medium Combustion Plant Directive and the National Emissions Ceilings Directive. Defra also plans to consult this autumn on proposals to reduce pollution from electricity generating plants with high emissions of nitrogen oxides that are not currently regulated. The proposals would set emission limit values on relevant air pollutants, with a view to having legislation in force no later than January 2019, and possibly sooner.  Air quality is improving; since 1970 sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions have decreased by 95%, particulate matter (PM10) by 73% and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 69%.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of staff on the payroll of her Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

George Eustice: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding she plans to make available to replace payments made under the Common Agricultural Policy.

George Eustice: On 13 August the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the agricultural sector will receive the same level of funding that it would have received under Pillar 1 of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) until 2020. The Government will also guarantee funding for CAP Pillar 2 projects, including agri-environment agreements, signed after the Autumn Statement and which continue after the UK has left the EU, so long as they meet the conditions that they are good value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities. This provides crucial certainty and continuity to our rural communities while we develop a new approach to supporting agriculture and protecting our precious countryside.

Fisheries

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to ensure that UK vessels will continue to be able to land fish in other EU countries after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: Access to fishing grounds and measures to enable equal access to ports are important and we will consider these issues as we develop future arrangements outside the EU.

Rural Areas: Environment Protection

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that EU agri-environment schemes will be open to UK applicants after current funding guarantees expire in 2019.

George Eustice: The Government’s announcement of 3 October provided further certainty on funding to rural communities while we develop a new approach to supporting agriculture, protecting the countryside and generating growth in the rural economy. We will now be working with the industry, rural communities and the wider public to shape our plans for food, farming, the environment and rural growth outside the EU.

Rural Areas: Environment Protection

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on retaining access to EU agri-environment schemes for new applicants after the autumn statement; and what discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on those schemes.

George Eustice: As announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, agri-environment agreements signed after the Autumn Statement and which continue after we have left the EU are guaranteed funding if they are good value for money and in line with domestic strategic priorities. Defra will have responsibility in England for the allocation of funds to agri-environment agreements in line with these conditions and the wider rules on public spending.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by her Department are non-UK nationals.

George Eustice: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

Food: Labelling

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to ensure the quality labelling of Scottish produce will remain protected after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: We fully support the UK’s iconic, world-class traditional products such as Scottish Farmed Salmon, Scotch Beef and Scotch Whisky, which provide and support thousands of jobs across Scotland and the UK and accounts for a large proportion of UK exports. We fully recognise the importance of ensuring that the protection for products such as those currently registered under the Protected Food Name and Geographical Indication schemes continues after the UK has left the EU. We are looking at how best to do this and we will continue to work with producers to ensure protections are in place in the future.

Fisheries

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to seek to uphold the principle of relative stability in fish stock allocation in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: We are considering a range of options on how best fish stocks should be allocated between countries when we leave the EU. There are clear principles set out in UNCLOS regarding the importance of cooperation on the allocation of stocks and on sharing access.

Fisheries

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of its capacity to (a) secure and (b) extend UK fishing rights; and whether her Department plans to have in place an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: Exit from the EU presents us with an opportunity under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to improve the way waters in the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone are managed. Defra officials will be working with the Department for Exiting the European Union, Devolved Administrations and stakeholders to develop proposals that will allow the UK to best take advantage of this opportunity.

Fisheries

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government's priorities will be in its negotiation of a new fishing agreement with the EU.

George Eustice: The Government's priority is to negotiate a fair allocation of fishing opportunities and also to deliver its manifesto commitments to sustainable fisheries and to the ending of discards.

Fisheries: Scotland

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Ministers of the Scottish Government on the UK's position on fisheries in its negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

George Eustice: To date we have had no discussions with Ministers of the Scottish Government on the UK’s position on fisheries in relation to negotiations on leaving the EU. However, I spoke to Fergus Ewing, the Scottish Fisheries Minister, shortly after the referendum and explained that we would be holding discussions with all devolved administrations later in the year.

Fisheries: Scotland

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how the Government plans to include Ministers of the Scottish Government in its negotiations on fisheries with the EU.

George Eustice: We will be holding discussions with all devolved administrations to determine how we will approach negotiations on fisheries with the EU.

Rural Areas: UK Withdrawal from EU

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the UK's decision to leave the EU on the rural economy.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The UK is still a member of the EU and we will continue to engage with EU business as normal and be engaged in EU decision-making in the usual way. Once Article 50 is invoked, we will remain bound by EU law until the withdrawal agreement comes into force. We now have a historic opportunity to deliver an environment for future generations to be proud of, grow our world-leading food and farming industry that continues to attract significant global investment and harness the enormous economic potential of our rural communities.

Animal Welfare

Dr   Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to ensure that standards of animal (a) welfare and (b) traceability are maintained when the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: Animal welfare and traceability are a priority for this Government and and we have a manifesto commitment to include measures to improve animal welfare in future agriculture policy. We are currently considering the impacts of the decision to leave the EU, including for existing legislation and how appropriate standards are best delivered in the future.

Bees

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been invested in the protection of honey bees in the UK in each of the last five years.

George Eustice: Defra has spent between £1.5 million and £2 million on protecting honey bees in England in each of the last five years. Our programme aims to protect honey bees from pests and diseases, including tackling disease outbreaks and monitoring for exotic pests such as the Asian hornet. Defra also contributed an additional £2.5 million to the £10 million Insect Pollinator Initiative carried out between 2010 and 2015. This was a joint initiative to look at different aspects of pollinator declines. Of the nine projects funded, two were specifically about honey bees and six were aimed at benefiting both honey bees and bumble bees.

Fisheries: Subsidies

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding she plans to make available to replace the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund after the UK leaves the EU.

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to maintain the level of UK and EU funding for the fishing industry and communities as part of the UK's negotiations on leaving the EU.

George Eustice: The Chancellor has set out that the guarantee for European Structural and Investment Fund projects announced in August will be extended to the point at which the UK departs the EU. This guarantee includes the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and provides further certainty to those fishers, seafood businesses and other organisations seeking support. Where projects secure EMFF funding before we exit, payments will be guaranteed even after the UK has left the EU. Defra officials will be working with the Department for Exiting the EU to look at future policies for fisheries. We will continue to work closely with relevant industry and other key stakeholders to develop these new arrangements.

Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to bring forward legislation to amend the Welfare of Racing Greyhound Regulations 2010 related to the recommendations in the post-implementation review of those regulations.

George Eustice: As set out in Defra’s Post Implementation Review of the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010, we are currently considering a number of areas where the Regulations may need amending. Any such amendments can be introduced via secondary legislation made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of greyhound trainers' kennel standards before legislation is to be brought forward to amend the Welfare of Racing Greyhound Regulations 2010.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the post-implementation review of the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010, when her Department plans to (a) gather evidence on the number of trainers operating at independent tracks and the conditions at those kennels and (b) publish its report.

George Eustice: Defra’s Post Implementation Review of the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 contained an assessment of standards at trainers’ kennels and found that more was needed to be done to safeguard welfare. As a result, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has agreed to work through the British Standards Institution and with other stakeholders, to develop a consensus standard for trainers’ kennels. The GBGB has also agreed to seek to extend its current United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditation to cover the enforcement of these new standards at the kennels of GBGB licensed trainers. During the Review process no evidence was submitted to Defra on the numbers of greyhound trainers operating solely at the four remaining independent tracks in England and the conditions at any such kennels. Therefore Defra are giving further consideration as to how best to gather this evidence, this includes a possible joint research project with the Dogs Trust. Any Defra research will be published on the Gov.UK website and any useful information found will be used in an Impact Assessment that would accompany any regulations for trainers’ kennels.

Greyhound Racing

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the recommendations of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee's report of 25 February 2016, what assessment her Department has made of introducing a two-year probationary period for continued self-regulation of greyhound industry.

George Eustice: Defra’s Post Implementation Review of the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 made an assessment of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain’s (GBGB) enforcement of the standards contained in the 2010 Regulations at GBGB affiliated tracks. The Review found that the standards at GBGB affiliated tracks were being maintained in an effective manner by the GBGB. However, the GBGB’s ability to self-regulate track standards is dependent on them maintaining their United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditation as a certification body for those standards. Should GBGB lose its UKAS accreditation then, under the 2010 Regulations, it would immediately lose the right to self-regulate standards at GBGB affiliated tracks. Therefore, for regulating conditions at tracks, the Government would not support extending to two years such a probationary period. For other areas of GBGB’s self-regulatory work, prior to EFRA’s Greyhound Welfare report, the GBGB had already agreed with Defra a period of two years, up to 2018, to: develop a consensus standard for trainers’ kennels and to extend its current UKAS accreditation to cover the enforcement of these new standards; and begin publishing annually aggregate figures for dogs injured or euthanized at GBGB affiliated tracks, as well as dogs leaving GBGB racing.

Animal Welfare: Convictions

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce an animal abuse register to record the names of people who have been found guilty of crimes against animals.

George Eustice: Convictions for offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 are recorded on the Police National Computer and are not held on a public register. The Government would be concerned about the level of access to a public register, and Data Protection Act requirements would also apply. However, police forces are exploring how access to information relating to people banned from keeping animals might be improved for local authorities and other bodies with an enforcement role.

National Lottery: Grants

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the future of agri-environment projects jointly funded by the National Lottery.

George Eustice: The Government’s announcement of 3 October has provided further certainty on funding to rural communities while we develop a new approach to supporting agriculture, protecting the countryside and generating growth in the rural economy. Existing agri-environment agreements and new Countryside Stewardship agreements starting on 1 January 2017 will be guaranteed even after the UK leaves the EU. We will confirm arrangements for entering into new agri-environment funding agreements after 2017 in due course. Leaving the EU means that we will want to take our own decisions about how we deliver the policy objectives previously targeted by EU funding, including agri-environment schemes. Over the coming months, the Government will review, in conjunction with stakeholders, all EU funding schemes in the round to ensure that any ongoing funding arrangements best serve the UK‘s national interest. Defra will discuss the interface with lottery funding with DCMS and the lottery distributors as part of this process.

Dogs: Sales

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ban third party sales of dogs and puppies while allowing an exemption for registered and approved rehoming charities.

George Eustice: We are currently reviewing the regulations that control the breeding and sale of dogs following a recent Defra public consultation on the licensing by local authorities of animal establishments. Whilst there are no proposals to ban the sales of dogs by third parties, there are proposals to tighten up the standards of welfare that apply to such activities. We published the summary of responses to the consultation on 15 September and shall announce the outcome in due course.

Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish (a) the revised list of the membership of the Department's Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and (b) a revised register of interests of the Committee's members.

George Eustice: The current membership of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) is: Professor Rosemary Hails MBE (chair), Centre for Ecology and HydrologyDr Kathy Bamford, Imperial CollegeProfessor Michael Bonsall, University of OxfordDr Rosemary Collier, University of WarwickProfessor Ian Crute CBE, self-employed consultantDr Matthew Heard, Centre for Ecology and HydrologyProfessor David Hopkins, The Royal Agricultural UniversitySimon Kerr, National Institute of Agricultural BotanyDr Peter Lund, University of BirminghamDr Ben Raymond, University of ExeterDr Andrew Wilcox, Harper Adams University An updated register of the interests of the Committee members will be published as soon as possible on the ACRE pages of the GOV..UK website. (at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/advisory-committee-on-releases-to-the-environment).

Wildlife: Smuggling

Heidi Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the European Commission on the timing of the publication of the updated controllers of trade in endangered species regulations on wildlife trade; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure sentencing guidelines for wildlife trade offences are put in place.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The updated and consolidated Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations (COTES) that the Department is taking forward concern the domestic implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species controls. As such we have not discussed the timing of their publication with the European Commission. As part of the review of COTES legislation Defra has held discussions on guidelines for prosecutors with the Crown Prosecution Service, and sentencing guidelines with the Sentencing Council.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) humaneness and (b) effectiveness of badger culls since 2013.

George Eustice: The approach Defra takes to monitoring the effectiveness and humaneness of the badger control policy, including the Chief Veterinary Officer’s advice, can be found on GOV.UK.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 3 March 2016 to Question 29007, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the badger culls in 2016.

George Eustice: Defra published an updated badger control policy value for money assessment on GOV.UK in August 2016, including estimated costs to government per licensed area.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: European Commission

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which EU commissioners she has met since taking office; and when and where such meetings took place.

George Eustice: Defra Ministers engage with EU Commissioners on a regular basis, including in the margins of each EU Council meeting. I had an informal discussion with Phil Hogan at the September informal Council. The most recent Ministerial discussions took place at a meeting between Thérèse Coffey and Commissioner Karmenu Vella as part of a conference on CITES.

Milk: Prices

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support dairy farmers as a result of reduced milk prices.

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of falling milk prices on the UK dairy sector.

George Eustice: Although government cannot control market volatility, our aim is to give farmers improved tools to manage it. We have extended the period over which they can average their tax from two to five years. We are exploring opportunities for a dairy futures market as well as for better branding and labelling in supermarkets in order to improve profitability. We are also exploring opportunities to help farming businesses become more resilient and ready to take advantage of the growing demand for British dairy products both at home and abroad. According to the latest forecast of Farm Business Incomes for 2015-16, average incomes on dairy farms are expected to fall to £46,500. This reflects the impact of lower milk prices which started to fall in March 2014, and the reduced prices for cull cows and heifers. While the number of dairy farms in England and Wales has also fallen from around 13,500 in 2006 to 9,500 today, the number of dairy cows has remained almost unchanged, which suggests consolidation within the industry. We have seen an increase in the UK farmgate milk price for the second month in a row to 21.34p per litre in August 2016. The long-term picture for our dairy industry remains positive.

European Chemicals Agency

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to negotiate to continue participation in the European Chemicals Agency after the UK leaves the EU.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: While the UK remains a member of the EU we will continue to fully participate in the work of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).As we start the process of leaving the EU, we will aim to deliver a stable and clear legislative framework for the continued effective management of chemicals, including maintaining standards that underpin trade and deliver on our international commitments. It is within this framework that we will consider the options for our future relationship with the ECHA.

Rice: Industry

Mrs Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications of UK withdrawal from the EU for the rice milling industry.

George Eustice: We are preparing for negotiations to exit the EU. As part of these preparations, we will consider future global trading relationships and the impacts on different agricultural sectors

Meat: UK Trade with EU

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the export of meat from the UK to other EU member states.

George Eustice: Defra is assessing impacts on the meat sector from EU Exit and is committed to ensuring continued access to vital markets in Europe on the basis of the UK’s high standards of welfare and animal health. In addition, good progress is being made in extending access to international markets such as China, USA and Japan.

Agriculture: Antibiotics

Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment the Government has made of the public health danger posed by the use of antibiotics for agricultural purposes.

George Eustice: Representatives from Defra sit on the European Medicines Agency’s ad hoc Antimicrobial Expert Group (AMEG). The group is comprised of experts on human and animal health. In 2013, AMEG assessed the risk posed to human health by the use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine. Their assessment was revised in 2016 following the discovery of bacteria resistant to colistin, a last resort antibiotic in human medicine. They recommended that colistin was classified as a critically important antibiotic to human health and called for a reduction of its use in veterinary medicine. AMEG will continue to assess emerging evidence and bring recommendations where necessary.

Livestock: Antibiotics

Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to minimise the use of antibiotics in livestock management.

George Eustice: On 16 September 2016 the Government published its response to the final report and recommendations of the Independent Review on Antimicrobial Resistance. The response includes clear commitments to reducing the need for antibiotics in livestock. We have committed to work closely with different individual sectors to ensure that appropriate sector specific reduction targets are agreed by 2017. This will ensure that future reductions are greatest where there is most scope, and that they are underpinned by improvements which focus on encouraging best practice and responsible use of antibiotics. This work aligns with the actions already set out in the Government’s Five-Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy, including improving the stewardship of existing antibiotics, improving infection prevention and control and optimising prescribing practice.

Farming Regulation Task Force

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which recommendations from the report of the independent farming regulation task force on better regulation in farming and food businesses have been implemented since that report was published in May 2011.

George Eustice: The Government (Defra, the Department for Transport, Food Standards Agency and the Home Office) accepted 137 of more than 200 recommendations made by the Farming Regulation Task Force in 2011. The Farming Regulation Task Force Implementation Group published a final assessment of our delivery in April 2014 in which they concluded that we had completed or made progress against the vast majority of the accepted recommendations. The remaining 27 recommendations are currently being reviewed as part of the ‘Cutting Red Tape: Review of the Information managements in the Agricultural Sector’. A report on the findings of this review will be published in due course.

Department of Health

Social Services: Finance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Government Actuary's Department report, A cohort approach to social care funding, published on 15 September 2016, what assessment he has made of the potential effectiveness of his Department's policies on meeting the pension and social care needs of the millennial generation; and if he will bring forward proposals for a cohort approach to social care funding in his Autumn Statement.

David Mowat: Social care continues to be a key priority for this Government. It is critical in enabling people with care and support needs to retain their independence and dignity. That is why we have already introduced landmark reforms to ensure people should not have to sell their home in their lifetime to meet the cost of care and we have set out plans to cap the amount that people will need to spend to meet their cost of care.We are mindful of the changing demographic of our population and the evidence produced from the Foresight ‘Future of Ageing Population’ project and are looking in the longer term about how best to respond to the challenges ahead. Decisions about the Autumn Statement are a matter for the Treasury.

Social Services

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of areas of the country with a relatively low level of social care provision; and what steps he plans to take to reduce that number.

David Mowat: There has been no estimate of the number of local authorities with low level of social care provision. Access to adult social care is based on the level of need an adult has and not on the number of users.In April 2015, the Care Act 2014 introduced a national eligibility criteria for access to adult social care. The Act requires that local authorities must meet the needs of any adult whose needs meet this national criteria. Authorities cannot restrict eligibility beyond this threshold. This ensures that the most vulnerable adults have their eligible needs met.

Slaughterhouses: Animal Welfare

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) meat hygiene inspectors and (b) independent vets have been employed to report to the FSA on animal welfare standards in slaughterhouses in each of the last six years.

Nicola Blackwood: Food Standards Agency (FSA) official veterinarians and meat hygiene inspectors, either employed by the FSA, or supplied through an approved contractor, are present during processing of animals. They carry out a wide range of duties, including ante- and post mortem checks (checks on live animals and carcases and offal) and checks on the health and welfare of animals presented for slaughter. These official control duties ensure that food businesses operators have produced meat in accordance with regulatory requirements, with a health mark applied to show that meat is safe to enter the food chain. Table 1 below states the number of Meat Hygiene Inspectors employed or supplied through contractors, carrying out official control duties in FSA approved meat establishments in the last six financial years. Table 1: Year End 2010-11TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalMeat Hygiene Inspector665150815Year End 2011-12TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalMeat Hygiene Inspector644166810Year End 2012-13TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalMeat Hygiene Inspector607176783Year End 2013-14TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalMeat Hygiene Inspector543208751Year End 2014-15TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalMeat Hygiene Inspector522230752Year End 2015-16TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalMeat Hygiene Inspector439232671 1 Combined [headcount] employed Permanent/Casual/Temporary MHIs2 Full Time Equivalent Contract MHIs Table 2 below states the number of Official Veterinarians, employed or supplied through contractors, carrying out official control duties in FSA approved meat establishments in the last six financial years. Table 2: Year End 2010-11TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalOfficial Veterinarian7267274Year End 2011-12TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalOfficial Veterinarian5265269Year End 2012-13TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalOfficial Veterinarian5275281Year End 2013-14TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalOfficial Veterinarian5263267Year End 2014-15TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalOfficial Veterinarian4259262Year End 2015-16TypePositionEmployed 1Contractor 2Grand TotalOfficial Veterinarian3229232 1 Combined [headcount] employed Permanent/Casual/Temporary Meat Hygiene Inspectors2 Full Time Equivalent Contract Meat Hygiene Inspectors The reduction in the number of Meat Hygiene Inspectors and Official Veterinarians between 2014-15 and 2015-16 was primarily due to the establishment on 1 April 2015 of Food Standards Scotland which assumed responsibility from the FSA for the delivery of official controls in approved meat establishments located in Scotland. All figures exclude Northern Ireland.

Slaughterhouses: Animal Welfare

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many animals died during transportation to slaughterhouses in each of the last six years.

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many breaches of animal welfare regulations (a) in slaughterhouses and (b) during transportation his Department recorded in each of the last six years.

Nicola Blackwood: The new legislation Welfare at Time of Killing implemented in Wales in 2014 and in England in 2015 introduced new welfare reporting requirements. In addition, during 2015/16 the Food Standards Agency (FSA) introduced new animal welfare measures in slaughterhouses which included increased consistency of reporting of transport related breaches. Both these factors are likely to have contributed to the increased instances recorded in the previous two years. The FSA does not record the numbers of individual animals which died as a result of transportation to slaughterhouses. The FSA records the number of instances that animals were found to be Dead on Arrival (DOA). The number of DOA instances for the last six years are set out in the following table: 2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/152015/161446451628265 The FSA does not record the number of individual animals involved in a welfare breaches in slaughterhouses or during transportation. The FSA records the number of instances of breaches. The number of critical welfare breaches in slaughterhouses and transportation for the last six years are set out in the following tables: Slaughterhouses2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/152015/1615813265113217234 Transportation2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/152015/163943423085351,4882,097

Slaughterhouses: CCTV

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the number of requests made to slaughterhouses with CCTV to release their footage for independent review in each of the last five years; and in how many of those cases that footage was released.

Nicola Blackwood: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) Authorised Officers can and do review CCTV footage with the permission of the Food Business Operator (FBO). Where they have grounds to believe an offence has occurred FSA Authorised Officers can seize footage relevant to the offence. As part of the regular audit and/or inspection process in slaughterhouses an Authorised Officer may ask an FBO for access to CCTV footage. Whilst the outcome of the reviewed footage will be recorded at a local level we do not keep a national log of such requests and therefore the FSA does not hold a record of this information. Similarly, we do not keep a national record of the number of cases where CCTV footage was released.

Department of Health: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of his Department.

David Mowat: The Department uses an outsourced provider for cleaning services. The provider employs one British and 11 non-British nationals to clean the Westminster estate of the Department.

Pharmacy

Nigel Adams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with CCGs to work with community pharmacies to develop a role in reducing hospital admissions, early identification or intervention services and patient ongoing monitoring services.

David Mowat: NHS England has advised that all clinical commissioning groups are included in a sustainability and transformation plan (STP) footprint within which, local health and care organisations are working together to develop STPs which will help drive genuine and sustainable transformation in patient experience and health outcomes in the longer-term.NHS England’s guidance to STPs highlights the importance of an integrated approach to primary care, including community pharmacy, in the delivery of transformed health services at the local level.In addition, we are currently recruiting a further 1,500 qualified pharmacists to work within general practices by 2020.

Department of Health: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of staff on the payroll of his Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

David Mowat: Nationality and identity details of appointees to the Department are thoroughly checked at the time of recruitment. However, ’nationality’ is not a mandatory field in the Department’s Business Management System where the details of staff are registered. This means that some staff have not declared with respect to nationality.All the figures given in the table below are of those civil servants employed by the Department in the Westminster area as of 6 October 2016. These figures do not include contractors, consultants and temporary agency workers or the staff of the Department’s service companies.NationalityHeadcountProportionBritish77180%Other nationalities606%Not declared13214%Total963100%

Department of Health: Migrant Workers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of the staff employed by his Department are non-UK nationals.

David Mowat: Nationality is not a mandatory field in the Department’s Business Management System where the details of staff are registered. This means that a fraction of the workforce are ‘undeclared’ with respect to nationality.All the figures given in the table below are as of 6 October 2016. These figures do not include contractors, temporary agency workers or the staff of service companies. NationalityHeadcount in categoryProportion of workforce in categoryBritish1,57282%Non-UK1042%Undeclared24713%Total employed1,923100%

General Practitioners

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many newly qualified GPs are waiting to be added to the national list for medical performers.

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many trainee GPs have been informed by Capita and Primary Care Support England that they are no longer allowed to practice as they are not currently on the national list for medical performers.

David Mowat: NHS England advises that, currently, there are approximately 720 applications for general practitioner (GP) trainees to be added to the performers list. The processing of applications to join the National Performers List was taken over by Capita in September 2015, and there have been some delays in Capita’s processing of applications. NHS England is working closely with Capita to identify all cases which may be affected by delays in processing applications, and those identified are being investigated and urgent cases prioritised. NHS England expects all GP trainees to be on the performers list by the end of October when their grace period for inclusion ends. The decision to admit a GP trainee to the performer list is the sole responsibility of NHS England rather than Capita. There have been some instances where Capita have informed GPs that they cannot practice because their application to the performer list has not been completed. Where we are aware of such instances, those GPs have been contacted by NHS England and provided with the correct advice relating to their individual circumstances. Where necessary, NHS England has taken further action to expedite the performers’ list process.

Cancer: Health Education

Carol Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to raise public awareness of (a) pancreatic cancer and (b) other cancers for which symptoms can be non-specific and have similarities to other benign conditions.

David Mowat: Public Health England’s (PHE) Be Clear on Cancer campaigns are designed to raise the public’s awareness of specific cancer symptoms, encourage people with those symptoms to go to the doctor and diagnose cancer at an earlier stage. An early visit to a general practice can make a cancer more treatable, and thereby improve cancer survival rates. These campaigns are delivered by PHE in partnership with the Department and NHS England. There are a number of cancers, including those where symptoms can be non-specific, which are not covered by ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ explicitly.

Audiology

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many audiology services there are in England.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce financial incentives for physiological services to engage with and achieve IQIPS accreditation.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the progress of audiology services achieving IQIPS accreditation; and what plans he has to ensure that audiology services in NHS trusts and communities give priority to registering with IQIPS.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to introduce mandatory accreditation of audiology services in England.

David Mowat: Comprehensive data on the number of audiology services in England is not collected. NHS England has no current plans to introduce financial incentives for the achievement of Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIPS) accreditation. As of 1 September, there are 39 organisations with IQIPS accreditation for audiology, covering 28 adult and 21 paediatric audiology services. If an organisation is accredited for both adult and paediatric audiology, United Kingdom Accreditation Service considers that one accreditation. In Commissioning Services for People with Hearing Loss: A framework for clinical commissioning groups, published in July, NHS England strongly encourages clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to expect providers to have completed the IQIPS self-assessment tool and applied for accreditation with UKAS, and achieve accreditation within the duration of their contract. This is reflected in the model service specification for adults. In the contract for Genomics Medicines Centres, Annex M requires National Health Service trusts nominated as Lead Organisations and Local Delivery Partners to be working towards diagnostic accreditation across all available schemes, including IQIPS. NHS England is also working with the Care Quality Commission to agree the use of scientific and diagnostic schemes as an information source for inspection purposes, as set out in their latest strategy. We currently have no plans to introduce mandatory accreditation of audiology services in England.

Truvada

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects the drug used in HIV PrEP, Truvada to come off patent.

Nicola Blackwood: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published a new medicines evidence summary for Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in October 2016. According to this summary, Truvada, compound patents for tenofovir disoproxil and salts expires in July 2017, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate expires in July 2018. A supplementary protection certificate has also been granted in relation to Truvada which expires in February 2020.

NHS: Capita

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints NHS England has received in each year since 2010 on services in the NHS provided by Capita.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS England was established on 1 April 2013. NHS England does not receive or record complaints about services in the National Health Service provided by Capita. It does record complaints relating to NHS England and primary care services. We have not recorded any complaints about Capita services between 2013 and 2015. However, NHS England has found that 79 formal complaints, as classified under NHS Complaints Regulations, have been logged about the Primary Care Support Services provided by Capita since 1 September 2015.

Pancreatic Cancer: Mortality Rates

Carol Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce mortality rates for people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

David Mowat: NHS services for pancreatic cancer have been significantly improved in recent years. This includes clearer diagnostic pathways; decision making by specialist multi-disciplinary teams; and the centralisation of pancreas surgery within specialist teams.However, we know more needs to be done. The Independent Cancer Taskforce’s report, Achieving World-Class Outcomes a Cancer Strategy for England 2015 – 2020, notes that whilst survival to date has improved significantly for some cancers, for other cancers, including pancreatic cancer, it has remained stubbornly low.An implementation plan, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes: Taking the strategy forward, was published on 12 May 2016 and we hope to see great progress as it is delivered.We know earlier diagnosis of cancer makes it more likely that patients will receive effective treatments so we have committed funding of up to £300 million a year by 2020 to implement recommendation 24 of the report that by 2020, everyone referred with a suspicion of cancer will receive either a definitive diagnosis or the all-clear within 28 days.In addition, NHS England has published a service specification for pancreatic cancer which clearly defines what it expects to be in place for providers to offer evidence-based, safe and effective pancreatic cancer services. This service specification has been developed by specialised clinicians, commissioners, expert patients and public health representatives to describe core and developmental service standards.The full service specification can be found at:http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/a02-cncr-panc.pdfThe National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published updated guideline, Suspected cancer: recognition and referral, in June 2015, to ensure that it reflects latest evidence and can continue to support general practitioners (GPs) to identify patients, including children and young people and urgently refer them as appropriate. NICE noted that 5,000 more lives could be saved each year in England if GPs followed the new guideline, which encourage GPs to think of cancer sooner and lower the referral threshold.

Doctors: Migrant Workers

Dr   Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many doctors from (a) EU countries and (b) countries outside the EU have applied to practice medicine in the UK in each year since 2000.

Mr Philip Dunne: Information on doctors applying to practice medicine in the United Kingdom is not held centrally; this is collected by the General Medical Council.

Doctors: Training

Dr   Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many UK medical students entered undergraduate training in each year since 2000.

Mr Philip Dunne: Information on the number of United Kingdom medical students is not held centrally; this is collected by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

Locums: North Wales

Dr James Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made on increasing the ability of GP practices in North Wales to attract locums since the Government responded to the Third Report of the Welsh Affairs Committee of Session 2014-15, HC 404, on Cross-border health arrangements between England and Wales.

David Mowat: The ability of general practitioner practices in North Wales to attract locums is a matter for the Welsh Government, since health and health services are devolved subjects.

Doctors: Training

Dr   Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the career destinations of doctors who completed foundation training in August 2016 were.

Mr Philip Dunne: The UK Foundation Programme Office collects data on the intended career destinations of second year foundation doctors who have completed their foundation training. The information for doctors who completed foundation training in August 2016 is not yet available.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints his Department received in relation to vaccination against human papilloma virus in each month of 2016.

Nicola Blackwood: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) collects reports of suspected side effects to vaccines and medicines via the Yellow Card Scheme. It is important to note that a report of a suspected side effect does not necessarily mean the vaccine or medicine was the cause of the reported event, and coincidental illness can also be a factor. Such reports remain under continual review by the MHRA in order to detect possible new risks. The MHRA has received 198 United Kingdom spontaneous suspected adverse reaction reports temporally-associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine between 1 January 2016 and 9 October 2016. Table 1 below provides a breakdown of these reports by month. MonthNumber of reportsJanuary16February22March24April23May33June26July15August7September32October to date (9 October 2016)0  More than 9 million doses of HPV vaccine have been given in the UK, with close to 90% of eligible teenagers vaccinated. As with all vaccines, safety remains under continual review, and HPV vaccine has a very good safety record.

Health Services: Migrant Workers

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on work permits and immigration rules for EU citizens working in the NHS, health and pharmaceutical industries after the UK leaves the EU.

David Mowat: My Rt. hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Health and the Home Secretary meet regularly. Department of Health officials and Home Office officials are working together with officials at the Department for Exiting the European Union to ensure that the workforce implications for the National Health Service and care sectors are considered as part of the discussions around leaving the EU. The Secretary of State for Health and the Prime Minister have made it clear that they wish for EU citizens, including those working in the NHS, health and pharmaceutical industries to remain in the United Kingdom post-Brexit.

Mental Health Services

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve the process for GPs referring patients to mental health services.

Nicola Blackwood: NHS England is aware that some general practitioners (GPs) experience difficulties with access to secondary mental health services. In line with the recommendations of the Mental Health Taskforce, NHS England mental health team is working to introduce a suite of evidence based treatment pathways spanning the main mental health conditions and covering the journey from referral to treatment and through to recovery. These will help to ensure that GPs have the information they need to refer people swiftly to the right services, offering the right treatment for their particular mental health needs. Pathways and associated standards have already been introduced for common mental health disorders Psychological Therapies services, first episode psychosis and community-based eating disorder services for children and young people.

Pharmacy: Finance

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to implement the changes to funding for community pharmacies, announced in December 2015.

David Mowat: We have consulted on these proposals and are continuing to engage with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee. The responses received have, and will continue to be, considered very carefully so we make sure we get it right for patients, the public, the National Health Service and pharmacy. We are aiming to implement the package from December 2016.

Pharmacy: North East

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on pharmacy services in (a) the North East, (b) County Durham and (c) Easington constituency of the Government's proposed changes to the budget for community pharmacy.

David Mowat: The proposals on which we have consulted will apply throughout England.Our proposals are about improving services for patients and the public and securing efficiencies and savings. The Government believes these efficiencies can be made within community pharmacy without compromising the quality of services or public access to them.We have been consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more NHS funds to certain pharmacies compared with others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population.In addition we are providing a further £112 million to ensure that an additional 1,500 pharmacists join general practices by 2020. This initiative includes coverage of the three regions referenced.

Sepsis

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital-borne cases of sepsis in England were recorded in (a) 2000, (b) 2005, (c) 2010 and (d) 2015.

Mr Philip Dunne: Public Health England and NHS Digital do not collect this data to the level of detail and format as requested. NHS Digital is unable to identify the source of a sepsis infection. They are only able to provide data on a count of the number of Finished Discharge Episodes with a primary or secondary diagnosis of sepsis. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon MP) to Question 45207 regarding available information on sepsis.

Nervous System: Diseases

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing in the UK initiatives for people with (a) fibromyalgia and (b) other central sensitivity syndromes similar to those introduced in Spain.

David Mowat: The Department is aware of ongoing clinical trials and research projects which deal with the assessment and treatment of people with fibromyalgia. Whilst the results of the studies in Spain concerning the merits of ophthalmologic tests in diagnosis and fibromyalgia and helping guide disease management are interesting, larger, high quality clinical trials would be needed to demonstrate the efficacy before introducing such initiatives in the United Kingdom.

Pregnancy: Streptococcus

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans routinely to offer screening tests for Group B Strep to pregnant women as part of their antenatal care.

Mr Philip Dunne: The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is in the process of updating its evidence review into antenatal screening for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in accordance with its published three year review cycle.When the update is completed, a public consultation on the evidence review document will begin, and will remain open for a three month period.The UK NSC will then review the recommendation for GBS, taking into consideration the outcomes of the public consultation and the evidence review, at the successive meeting.More information and how to contribute to the public consultation will be available at the following link:http://legacy.screening.nhs.uk/screening-recommendations.php

General Practitioners: Insurance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 45660, for what reasons the cost of indemnity is rising for GPs.

David Mowat: Over summer 2016, the General Practice Indemnity Review was established as a short-term, focussed piece of work which sought to examine the extent of inflation in General Practitioner (GP) indemnity, the root causes of this, and to identify proposals for improving the situation. Its findings are available on the NHS England website: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/gp-indemnity-rev-summary.pdf The increases in costs experienced by GPs mainly reflect the fact that the amount of damages being awarded to victims of clinical negligence is increasing year on year, and the volumes of claims is also rising. The size of damages awarded by the courts have increased year on year, and this needs to be reflected in the amount GPs pay for their indemnity. GPs are also seeing a higher volume of patients than previously, and evidence suggests that patient behaviour has undergone a significant change in recent years, in a way that may lead to an increase in the likelihood of a claim arising. It is clear that there has been no material deterioration in the quality and safety standards within primary care in recent years, so it is unlikely that the increase in indemnity costs is reflective of the safety of care being provided.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital-borne infectious diseases were recorded in England in (a) 2000, (b) 2005, (c) 2010 and (d) 2015.

Mr Philip Dunne: In April 2013, Public Health England took over the mandatory surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs), formerly undertaken by the Health Protection Agency. The total number of trust apportioned cases of HCAIs can be found in Table 1. For the purposes of answering this question trust apportioned cases can be considered “hospital-borne” infections. Data for the years 2000 and 2005 are not available. Table: Counts of trust apportioned HCAIs by financial year in 2010 and 2015:  April 2010 to March 2011April 2015 to March 2016Meticillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA)ND2,910E.coliND7,692Clostridium difficile infection (patients aged 2 years and over)10,4175,164Meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)688297 Notes:ND - Not DeterminedCases are deemed to be trust apportioned if the following criteria are met:-- The location where the specimen was taken is given as ‘acute trust’ or is not known;- The patient was either an ‘In-patient’, ‘Day-patient’, in ‘Emergency assessment’ or is not known.- Patient’s specimen date is on, or after, the third day of the admission (or admission date is null), where the day of admission is day 1 (for MSSA or E. coli bacteraemia)Or- Patient’s specimen date is on, or after, the fourth day of the admission (or admission date is null), where the day of admission is day 1 (for Clostridium difficile infection).

MRSA

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital-borne cases of MRSA were recorded in England in (a) 2000, (b) 2005, (c) 2010 and (d) 2015.

Mr Philip Dunne: In April 2013 Public Health England took over the surveillance of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemia, formerly undertaken by the Health Protection Agency. We do not hold the data for 2000 and 2005. Cases are published according to both trust apportionment and trust assignment. For the purpose of answering this question trust apportionment or assignment can be considered as “hospital borne” cases. The assignment process was added to the MRSA surveillance in 2013 superseding the previously used apportionment method. The assignment process utilises individual case review and therefore allows for a much more considered categorisation of a case and associated learning to prevent similar cases occurring in the future, than was previously possible. The assignment process was only introduced in 2013 as MRSA numbers were previously considered to be too high to make this resource demanding method viable. The total number of trust apportioned and trust assigned cases are displayed in Tables 1 and 2 respectively. Table 1: Trust apportioned counts of MRSA bacteraemia in 2008, 2010 and 2015. April 2008 to March 2009April 2010 to March 2011April 2015 to March 20161,606688297 Table 2: Trust assigned counts of MRSA bacteraemia in 2015. April 2015 to March 2016302 Notes:Cases are published on a financial year basis.Trust apportioned data are not available for the years 2000 and 2005.Trust assigned are not available for the years 2000, 2005 and 2010.Cases are deemed to be Trust apportioned if the following criteria are met:-- The location where the specimen was taken is given as ‘acute trust’ or is not known;- The patient was either an ‘In-patient’, ‘Day-patient’, in ‘Emergency assessment’ or is not known.- Patient’s specimen date is on, or after, the third day of the admission (or admission date is null), where the day of admission is day 1.Cases are deemed to be trust assigned on the basis of Post Infection Review (PIR) assignment and relevant cases are assigned to acute trusts.The trust assignment method supersedes the apportionment one post 2013 and utilises case review by the teams caring for the patient.

Health Education England: Finance

Dr   Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the budget for Health Education England (a) was in each year since 2012 and (b) will be for 2017-18.

Mr Philip Dunne: In 2012-13, the strategic health authorities nationally were allocated £4.879 billion to spend on education and training in the National Health Service. This budget was transferred to Health Education England (HEE) from 1 April 2013 when it assumed full operational responsibilities for workforce planning, education and training.From 2013 to 2016, HEE received the following annual budget allocations from the Department: £4.867 billion in 2013/14; £4.933 billion in 2014/15; and £4.912 billion in 2015/16.For the current year, HEE’s revenue allocation is £4.995 billion as at 31 July 2016. Further in-year capital and revenue allocations will be made to HEE later in this financial year.HEE’s budget for 2017-18 is yet to be determined through the Departmental business planning process.

Health Visitors

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many health visitors were employed in each of the last three years.

Mr Philip Dunne: The following table shows the number of full time equivalent health visitors employed in National Health Service trusts and clinical commissioning groups in England in each of the last three years.Full time equivalent figures are used as this is the most accurate measure of service capacity.30 June 201430 June 201530 June 20168,88710,0429,491Source: NHS Digital NHS Hospital and Community Health Service monthly workforce statistics

Mental Health Services: Finance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44621, how investments made from the public purse for mental health services in the community are monitored for their effectiveness.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44621, what information his Department holds on levels of investment from the public purse into mental health services in the community between 2010 and 2015; and what level of funding his Department has committed to investing in mental health services in the community until 2020.

Nicola Blackwood: Information on investment in community mental health services is not held centrally. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning community mental health services for their local population. CCGs are required to increase their spending on mental health each year, at least in line with the growth in their overall funding allocations. From this year, NHS England’s financial reporting will be aligned to mental health priorities, increasing transparency and allowing resources to be tracked at CCG level.

NHS: Low Pay

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44396, what the overall cost to the public purse of administering the NHS Low Income Scheme in England has been in each of the last three years.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44396, for what reason there has been a decrease in the number of HC3 certificates issued between 2008 and 2016.

David Mowat: The direct costs of administering the NHS Low Income Scheme in England in the last three financial years are set out in the table. The figures do not include overheads associated with the wider infrastructure of the NHS Business Services Authority. YearDirect costs (England only) (£ million)2015/16£1,3272014/15£1,3972013/14£1,414Source: provided by the NHS Business Services Authority There is no apparent reason for the decrease in the numbers of HC3 certificates issued between 2008 and 2016. There has been no significant change to the scheme criteria nor the rules for calculation during this period. However, as the application numbers have decreased, there has been a corresponding decrease in the certificates issued.

Dental Services: Yorkshire and the Humber

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many child patients as a relative proportion of the local population had an appointment with an NHS dentist in Yorkshire and Humber in (a) July 2015 to June 2016, (b) July 2014 to June 2015 and (c) July 2013 to June 2014.

David Mowat: Information is not available in the format requested.NHS Digital is not able to provide numbers of people who had an appointment with a National Health Service dentist. However, it is able to provide the number of patients seen at specified dates as a percentage of the population. This covers patients seen by an NHS dentist, including work undertaken by dentists under vocational training and orthodontic patients. It does not, however, cover dental treatment carried out in hospitals under Hospital Dental Services, nor under services provided privately.Table: Count of the number of child patients (aged 17 and under) seen in the specified time periods, and as a percentage of the population, in NHS England North (Yorkshire and Humber) Number of patients seenPercentage of the population July 2012 - June 2014  (24 months)July 2013 - June 2015  (24 months)July 2015 - June 2016  (12 months)July 2012 - June 2014  (24 months)July 2013 - June 2015  (24 months)July 2015 - June 2016  (12 months)NHS England North (Yorkshire and Humber)844,095850,146731,97272.873.362.9 Notes:1. The figures are for the number of patients seen at least once during the 24 month period. Patients are counted in this data set on their first visit only.2. Due to the change in methodology from patients seen in the previous 24 months to patients seen in the previous 12 months, data for the period ending 30 June 2016 is not comparable to previous years.3. Population data are sourced from the Office for National Statistics.

Dental Services: Bradford

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many adult patients as a relative proportion of the local population had an appointment with an NHS dentist in (a) Bradford Districts Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and (b) Bradford City CCG in (i) July 2015 to June 2016, (ii) July 2014 to June 2015 and (iii) July 2013 to June 2014.

David Mowat: Information is not available in the format requested. NHS Digital is not able to provide numbers of people who had an appointment with a National Health Service dentist. However, it is able to provide the number of patients seen at specified dates as a percentage of the population. This covers patients seen by an NHS dentist, including work undertaken by dentists under vocational training and orthodontic patients. It does not, however, cover dental treatment carried out in hospitals under Hospital Dental Services, nor under services provided privately. Table: Count of the number of adult patients (aged 18 and over) seen in the specified time periods, and as a percentage of the population, in Bradford Districts Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Bradford City CCG Number of patients seenPercentage of the population July 2012 - June 2014July 2013 - June 2015July 2014 - June 2016July 2012 - June 2014July 2013 - June 2015July 2014 - June 2016NHS Bradford Districts CCG113,474113,105116,46745.945.846.9NHS Bradford City CCG46,91146,88543,39982.282.175.8 Notes:1. The figures are for the number of patients seen at least once during the 24 month period. Patients are counted in this data set on their first visit only. An equivalent measure covering the 12 month period is not available.2. Population data are sourced from the Office for National Statistics.

Dental Services: Bradford

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many child patients as a relative proportion of the local population had an appointment with an NHS dentist in (a) Bradford Districts Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) and (b) Bradford City CCG in (i) July 2015 to June 2016, (ii) July 2014 to June 2015 and (iii) July 2013 to June 2014.

David Mowat: Information is not available in the format requested. NHS Digital is not able to provide numbers of people who had an appointment with a National Health Service dentist. However, it is able to provide the number of patients seen at specified dates as a percentage of the population. This covers patients seen by an NHS dentist, including work undertaken by dentists under vocational training and orthodontic patients. It does not, however, cover dental treatment carried out in hospitals under Hospital Dental Services, nor under services provided privately. Table: Count of the number of child patients (aged 17 and under) seen in the specified time periods, and as a percentage of the population in Bradford Districts CCG and Bradford City CCG  Number of patients seenPercentage of the population July 2012 - June 2014  (24 months)July 2013 - June 2015  (24 months)July 2015 - June 2016  (12 months)July 2012 - June 2014  (24 months)July 2013 - June 2015  (24 months)July 2015 - June 2016  (12 months)NHS Bradford Districts Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)47,56248,80544,71954.455.850.8NHS Bradford City CCG26,28827,40321,939102.4106.884.6 Notes:1. The figures are for the number of patients seen at least once during the 24 month period. Patients are counted in this data set on their first visit only.2. Patients seen are allocated to a CCG via the dentist which they attend for treatment and not by the home postcode of the patient. Most patients will live within the CCG/Region in which they receive primary care dental services but some will attend a dentist further afield (near their place of employment, for example). Therefore it is possible for the percentage of the population figures to exceed 100%.3. Due to the change in methodology from patients seen in the previous 24 months to patients seen in the previous 12 months, data for the period ending 30 June 2016 is not comparable to previous years.4. Population data are sourced from the Office for National Statistics.

Fertility: Medical Treatments

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44481, what records NHS England keeps on the grounds for inadequate ratings given to clinical commissioning groups.

David Mowat: NHS England’s year-end annual assurance assessment of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) contains overall ratings of CCG performance, and explains how they are derived from ratings for leadership, delegated functions, finance, performance and planning also published in the same document:https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/07/annual-assessment-rep-2015-16-upd.pdf All CCGs rated as inadequate are subject to legal directions, published at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/ccg-auth/directions/ NHS England’s regional teams meet with CCGs regularly, and the frequency of those meetings depends on the level of risk associated with each CCG.

Fertility: Medical Treatments

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44481, for what reasons the 26 clinical commissioning groups referred to were rated as inadequate for 2015-16.

David Mowat: This information is publicly available in the Year-end CCG Assurance Annual Assessment for 2015/16, on NHS England’s website:https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/07/annual-assessment-rep-2015-16-upd.pdfFurther detail can be found in the legal directions issued by NHS England to all clinical commissioning groups rated as inadequate. These are published on NHS England’s website:https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/ccg-auth/directions/

Dental Services: Yorkshire and the Humber

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many adult patients as a relative proportion of the local population had an appointment with a NHS dentist in Yorkshire and the Humber in (a) July 2015 to June 2016, (b) July 2014 to June 2015 and (c) July 2013 to June 2014.

David Mowat: Information is not available in the format requested. NHS Digital is not able to provide numbers of people who had an appointment with a National Health Service dentist. However, it is able to provide the number of patients seen at specified dates as a percentage of the population. This covers patients seen by an NHS dentist, including work undertaken by dentists under vocational training and orthodontic patients. It does not, however, cover dental treatment carried out in hospitals under Hospital Dental Services, nor under services provided privately. Table: Count of the number of adult patients (aged 18 and over) seen in the specified time periods, and as a percentage of the population, in NHS England North (Yorkshire and Humber) Number of patients seenPercentage of the population July 2012 -June 2014July 2013 - June 2015July 2014 - June 2016July 2012 -June 2014July 2013 -June 2015July 2014 -June 2016NHS England North (Yorkshire and Humber)2,464,0692,465,4402,463,84357.557.557.2 Notes:1. The figures are for the number of patients seen at least once during the 24 month period. Patients are counted in this data set on their first visit only. An equivalent measure covering the 12 month period is not available.2. Population data are sourced from the Office for National Statistics.

Dental Health: Young People

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase understanding of dental care among young people.

David Mowat: We are committed to improving the oral health of school children. As part of every child having the Best Start in Life, Public Health England (PHE) has established a Child Oral Health Improvement Programme Board with a substantial programme of work, working with others to improve children’s oral health. As part of this programme of work, PHE has produced a toolkit to support local authorities (LAs) in their responsibility to improve dental health and reduce inequalities among children and young people in their area. The toolkit supports LAs to invest in programmes which have demonstrated improvement in children’s dental health such as targeted community-based fluoride varnish programmes, targeted nursery and school based tooth brushing programmes and water fluoridation. More broadly, sugar consumption is the primary cause of tooth decay in children. The Change4Life Sugar Smart app launched in January 2016 provides parents with a tool to show how much total sugar is in every day food and drinks, to help them make healthier choices. Dental health professionals have also been provided with Change4Life toolkits to help them have conversations with parents about their children's oral health.

Junior Doctors: Pay

Kevin Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, based on today's values, what the expected lifetime earnings are for a junior doctor starting in training in August 2016 if they become (a) a consultant, (b) a GP and (c) remain a junior doctor; and what assessment his Department has made of how those earnings compare to other (i) public and (ii) private sector professionals.

Mr Philip Dunne: The career earnings of a doctor will depend on many factors and are therefore highly specific to individual circumstances. They will depend on decisions around gap years and career breaks, part-time working, the choice between general practice and other specialties, when they leave the National Health Service or retire and on the speed of progression through training. However, indications can be provided by constructing a hypothetical career based on reasonable assumptions in-line with current data. It is estimated that assuming a 40 year full time career from Foundation Programme up to consultant or partner in General Practice, a junior doctor starting training in August 2016 could expect to earn around £4 million or an average of around £100,000 per year in 2016/17 prices. Comparisons of pay across industries and sectors are notoriously difficult, capturing differences in pressures and working patterns is particularly complicated. Comparison of recent earnings growth for doctors compared with other high-earning occupations shows that doctors remain one of the very highest-earning occupations in the United Kingdom.

Analgesics: Prescriptions

James Cartlidge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total cost to the NHS was of (a) aspirin, (b) ibuprofen and (c) equivalent medication prescribed by GPs in each of the last five years.

David Mowat: Information on the net ingredient cost of prescription items dispensed in the community in England is provided in the table below. YearNet ingredient cost2: aspirin (excluding combination medicines) £000Net ingredient cost: ibuprofen £000Net ingredient cost: other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs1 £0002010590.39,999.380,767.12011443.99,927.171,045.52012495.312,182.871,915.72013593.013,788.063,617.22014512.812,929.862,270.02015499.412,835.759,922.9Source: Prescription Cost Analysis system provided by NHS Digital1 All other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs included in British National Formulary section 10.1.1, using the classification system prior to edition 70.2 Net ingredient cost is the basic cost of a drug. It does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.

Mental Health Services

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that mental health services are not deprioritised in the commissioning process for budgetary reasons.

Nicola Blackwood: NHS England has a clear commitment that spending on mental health should increase year-on-year by an amount at least as great as the overall growth in clinical commissioning group (CCG) baseline allocations. From this year, NHS England’s budget and financial reporting will be aligned to specific mental health priorities, increasing transparency and allowing additional resources to be tracked at CCG level.

Mental Health Services

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase transparency in mental health service block contracts.

Nicola Blackwood: In line with the principle of parity of esteem between all health services, NHS England together with NHS Improvement are supporting providers and commissioners of adult and older people’s mental health services to move away from block contracts and implement more transparent payment approaches. Two new payment options that providers and commissioners can choose between are a capitated payment approach or an episode of treatment (year-of-care) payment approach.

Mental Health Services

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to incentivise the provision of higher quality mental health services.

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure consistency of provision in the quality of care in mental health services across England.

Nicola Blackwood: Mental health is one of the six core clinical areas to be covered by NHS England’s new CCG Improvement and Assessment Framework. NHS England is working to ensure that this will provide as broad a view as possible of how well commissioners are supporting and driving improvement in mental health. A dashboard for mental health will be published this autumn, containing a set of standard indicators to articulate progress in mental health services at a national level and allow benchmarking of services across the country. NHS England will continue to ensure that mental health is represented within the full suite of levers and incentives at its disposal including Commissioning for Quality and Innovation payment framework (CQUINs), Quality Premium, the NHS Standard Contract and within the design of new models of care. The Technical Guidance for NHS planning covering 2017/18 and 2018/19 that accompanied the publication of the main NHS Planning Guidance earlier this autumn included a number of draft proposals for specific mental health CQUINs: - Improving services for people with Mental Health needs who present to A&E;- Improving physical health care for people with Severe Mental Illnesses; and- Improving transitions for children and young people. The Quality Premium is based on measures that cover a combination of national and local priorities, and on delivery of the fundamentals of commissioning. The Premium is paid to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in 2018/19 and 2019/20 reflects the quality of the health services commissioned by them in 2017/18 and 2018/19. There will be six mandated indicators including a mental health indicator. Mental health service providers are responsible for the consistency and quality in the services that they provide. Services in England are regulated by the Care Quality Commission which introduced a new regulation and inspection regime in 2014. CCGs are expected to increase their spending on mental health in line with overall growth in their baseline allocations.

General Practitioners

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to put in place measures to ensure that funding for atypical GP practices is ring-fenced.

David Mowat: NHS England is developing national guidance for commissioners illustrating the workload challenges faced by practices with atypical patient populations, to assist them in making decisions regarding sustainable support. There is no formal ring-fencing of primary care allocations within commissioners’ plans.

Clinical Commissioning Groups

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to increase public involvement in decision-making by clinical commissioning groups.

David Mowat: Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have a statutory duty to make arrangements to involve the public in commissioning services for National Health Service patients. The duty ensures that CCGs act fairly and proportionately when decision making in circumstances where there may be an impact on services. To support CCGs, NHS England published statutory guidance entitled Transforming Participation in Health and Care in September 2013. CCGs must have regard to this guidance. A copy of the guidance can be found at the following address: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/trans-part-hc-guid1.pdf In April NHS England also published Annual Reporting on the Legal Duty to Involve Patients and the Public in Commissioning which can be found here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/guid-annual-reprting-legal-duty-july16.pdf NHS England has also published Engaging Local People: A Guide for local areas developing Sustainability and Transformation Plans in September 2016, available from: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/engag-local-people-stps.pdf Revised guidance for CCGs in relation to their duty to involve the public will also be published in spring 2017. In addition, CCGs are required by statute to use the NHS Standard Contract when commissioning secondary healthcare services from providers. The NHS Standard Contract places obligations on providers, which if necessary are enforced by CCGs. Public involvement in the decision-making by providers is included in clause 12.5 of the NHS Standard Contract as follows: “The Provider must involve Service Users (and, where appropriate, their Carers and Legal Guardians), Staff, Service Users’ GPs and the public when considering and implementing developments to and redesign of Services. As soon as reasonably practicable following any reasonable request by the Co-ordinating Commissioner, the Provider must provide evidence of that involvement and of its impact.” Therefore, if a CCG and provider propose a change to a service, the provider must engage with the public.

Junior Doctors: Pay

Kevin Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the new junior doctors' contract on the average pay of junior doctors.

Mr Philip Dunne: The average pay of junior doctors will not change. The cost neutrality of the new contract means that the contract cannot in anyway be used to save money – it maintains the current spend for the current number of full-time equivalent doctors working the current average working week. The British Medical Association itself acknowledged this commitment and communicated it to its junior doctor members before the vote on the contract. Any growth in the junior doctor workforce/commitment will be funded from outside that envelope and the same average pay would apply to new juniors working the same working patterns.

NHS: North East

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the NHS staff and recruitment needs for (a) the North East, (b) County Durham and (c) Easington constituency.

Mr Philip Dunne: No estimate has been made by the Department. Health Education England (HEE), an independent arms-length body, has been established to ensure the National Health Service has access to the right numbers of staff, at the right time and with the right skills. In doing so, HEE works with key external stakeholders to develop its National Workforce Plan for England which sets out the number of training places it will commission in the year ahead. The latest Workforce Plan for England, together with annexes detailing planned commissions by Local Education and Training Boards, is available at: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/planning-commissioning/workforce-planning/commissioning-investment-plan-england-2016-17 HEE is investing in the development of Local Workforce Action Boards (LWABs), which will provide strategic leadership in the development of local workforce strategies. HEE has been leading on the development of a LWAB for Cumbria and the North East. The LWAB will meet in October to agree priorities to support the local workforce.

Clinical Commissioning Groups: Per Capita Costs

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the per capita funding for the (a) North West Surrey, (b) Guilford and Waverley, (c) Surrey Downs, (d) Richmond, (e) Hounslow, (f) Hillingdon, (g) Slough, (h) Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead, (i) Bracknell and Ascot and (j) Surrey Heath clinical commissioning groups was in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16.

Mr Philip Dunne: The following table sets out the per capita funding to all of the clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) requested above, in both 2014-15 and 2015-16. CCG2014-15 Per capita allocation (£)2015-16 Per capita allocation (£)NHS North West Surrey1,0851,090NHS Guildford and Waverley1,0281,033NHS Surrey Downs1,0891,098NHS Richmond9971,018NHS Hounslow9511,009NHS Hillingdon9741,045NHS Slough1,0291,084NHS Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead9511,000NHS Bracknell and Ascot9691,018NHS Surrey Heath1,1591,168

Roads: Accidents

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much each NHS trust has recuperated by recharging insurance companies for the costs associated with the treatment of customers who are involved in road traffic accidents in each of the last five years.

Mr Philip Dunne: The information is not held in the format requested. Whilst the Department does hold National Health Service trust level data on the total costs recovered through the NHS Injury Cost Recovery scheme, we cannot currently extract trust level data specifically related to road traffic accidents without incurring disproportionate cost.

General Practitioners: North East

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many full-time equivalent GPs per 1000 patients there were in (a) the North East, (b) County Durham and (c) Easington constituency in each of the last five years.

David Mowat: Information is not available in the format requested. The data that is available is shown in the following table. Table: Full Time Equivalent general practitioners (GPs) (excluding Locums) per 1,000 registered patients in selected area, 2011-16   201120122013201420151March 20161North East Strategic Health Authority0.710.73........Durham, Darlington and Tees Area Team....0.710.70....Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne And Wear Area Team....0.790.78....NHS England North (Cumbria and North East)........0.580.58   County Durham Primary Care Trust (PCT)0.730.75........NHS North Durham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)....0.740.700.540.51NHS Durham Dales, Easington And Sedgefield CCG....0.770.760.610.56 Notes:1 Prior to 2015 figures are sourced from NHAIS GP Payments (Exeter) System. From 2015 figures are sourced from the workforce Minimum Dataset (wMDS) and include estimates for missing data. Figures from September 2015 and March 2016 are provisional experimental and are not comparable with previous years.GP Registered Patient data is taken from NHAIS GP Payments (Exeter) system for all years.Figures are shown for those National Health Service organisations in operation at the time of the relevant census. GP workforce statistics are not available by constituency. Easington constituency is contained within and serviced by NHS Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield CCG. Prior to the formation of CCGs, Easington constituency was contained within and serviced by County Durham PCT.Full Time Equivalents (FTE) for NHS staff are calculated based on working hours, where 37.5 hours per week is equal to 1 FTE.Figures exclude GP Locums.Data as at 30 September 2011-2015 and 31 March 2016.March data was collected and published in full on the workforce Minimum Dataset for the first time in March 2016. These figures have been included to provide the most up-to-date information.'..' denotes not applicable.

General Practitioners

Mr David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the expansion of the Doctaly scheme on patients' access to GP services.

David Mowat: The Department has made no assessment of the potential effect of the expansion of the Doctaly scheme on patients’ access to general practice (GP) services.The General Practice Forward View, published in April 2016, announced that an extra £2.4 billion a year will be invested in GP services by 2020/21. As part of overall investment in general practice, NHS England will provide over £500 million of recurrent funding by 2020/21, on top of current primary medical care allocations, to enable clinical commissioning groups to commission and fund extra capacity across England. This is to ensure that by 2020, everyone has access to GP services, including sufficient routine appointments at evenings and weekends to meet locally determined demand, alongside effective access to out of hours and urgent care services.

Consultants: Pay

Kevin Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what additional earnings above base pay are received by consultants by decile.

Mr Philip Dunne: Relevant information is shown in the following table. This includes deciles of total National Health Service earnings and non-basic pay per person received by consultants for the 12 months ending December 2015. These figures use the earnings of only those staff who worked all 12 months in this period and will not include consultants’ private income.DecileTotal non-basic payTotal earnings1£2,987£76,7002£7,011£87,6753£12,194£95,8494£17,540£103,2125£22,881£110,1806£28,942£117,9167£36,531£126,9508£47,066£139,0569£64,759£158,93510£481,287£577,147 The following table sets out mean annual NHS earnings and mean annual non-basic pay NHS earnings per person received by consultants for the 12 months ending December 2015.Mean non-basic payMean earnings£29,225£113,569 Source:  NHS Digital, Provisional NHS Staff Earnings Estimates, Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). NHS Digital is the trading name for HSCIC.Notes: Mean annual non-basic pay per person is the mean amount, over and above of basic pay, paid to an individual in a 12 month period, regardless of the contracted full time equivalent (FTE) and including additional programmed activities.Figures in the table are provisional NHS Staff Earnings estimates.As expected with provisional data, some figures may be revised prior to the next publication as issues are uncovered and resolved.Figures rounded to the nearest pound.These figures represent payments made using the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system to NHS staff who are employed and directly paid by NHS organisations.Figures based on data from all English NHS organisations who are using ESR (two Foundation Trusts do not use ESR).These figures include all payments made through the ESR.NHS Digital seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data.Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where changes impact on figures already published, this is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.

NHS: Expenditure

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS spent on management and administration in each of the last five years.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Department publishes the Administration spending outturn annually in the Departmental Annual Report and Accounts. The latest spending information can be found in the table below. 2011-12 £ million2012-13 £ million2013-14 £ million2014-15 £ million2015-16 £ millionAdministration Outturn3,3073,5023,0362,7812,421The Administration expenditure covers the running costs of the core Department, commissioning sector (NHS England and clinical commissioning groups) and all of the Department’s central government arm’s length bodies.

NHS Protect

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2016 to Question 40810, on NHS Protect, when each of the prosecutions listed commenced.

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2016 to Question 40810, on NHS Protect, what the categories of offence were for each of the prosecutions listed.

Mr Philip Dunne: Information on the date a prosecution commenced for each case from 2010-11 to 2015-16 and the category of offence from 2010-11 to 2012-13 could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The date the investigation commenced for each case and the category of offence from 2013-14 onwards are shown in the attached table.



PQ46816 46817 prosecutions tables
(Excel SpreadSheet, 15.14 KB)

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to educate people on the importance of hand-sanitising products in the prevention of infection in hospitals.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance sets 10 compliance criteria to manage healthcare associated infections. This includes one covering infection prevention and control which refers to hand hygiene and recommends that providers undertake hand hygiene audits. The Care Quality Commission will monitor a registered provider on how it complies with these requirements. NHS England Sign up to Safety is a national initiative to help National Health Service organisations and their staff achieve their patient safety aspirations, and care for their patients in the safest way possible. The World Health Organization leads the ‘Save Lives: Clean Your Hands’ campaign on 5 May each year. This is a global campaign which serves as a call to action for healthcare workers to improve hand hygiene. To coincide with this, on 5 May 2016, NHS England Sign up to Safety ran a promotion to remind staff of the important role of hand hygiene at the point of care: https://www.england.nhs.uk/signuptosafety/2016/05/05/claire-kilpatrick-julie-storr/ Public Health England operates a free health education resource called e-Bug, which aims to reduce antibiotic resistance by helping children and young people understand infections and antibiotic use. Hand hygiene is included in this teaching tool: http://www.e-bug.eu/

Strokes: East Midlands

Amanda Solloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust response times for stroke victims for whom 999 emergency services are requested.

Mr Philip Dunne: This is a matter for East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, working with its commissioners and other local partners and supported by NHS Improvement.The Trust intends to deliver improved performance for all patients, including patients who have had a stroke. This includes increasing the resources available to respond to patients by recruiting more frontline staff and investing in new ambulances to increase the fleet size. The Trust is also working with the local acute hospitals and commissioners to help reduce the delays experienced by ambulance crews when handing over patients at hospitals and reviewing its stroke care practice to ensure that stroke patients are taken to specialist centres within the ideal timeline.

Care Homes: Closures

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department is providing nursing homes facing closure.

David Mowat: This response relates to adult social care in England. Adult social care is largely delivered through an independent sector of care provider organisations that operate in a competitive market. Whilst many people pay for their own services, both local government and the National Health Service commission services for people who have eligible needs and are financially eligible. The Government works with local authorities to encourage good practice in commissioning services, producing guidance and through a sector-led improvement programme. The Government recognises that the care sector is operating in a challenging financial environment and continues to engage with the care sector, including nursing care providers, to understand their concerns about their financial viability and the sustainability of services. The trade bodies Care England and the United Kingdom Home Care Association have convened a provider Taskforce, with membership from the larger care home and home care operators and representatives from the Care Providers Alliance. Officials from the Department of Health, and other Government Departments attend the taskforce meetings as observers. The Taskforce has discussions about risks to financial viability, local authority commissioning and the impact of the introduction of the National Living Wage. The Department is working closely with the Local Government Association to consider targeted action to address the issues. In addition, on 13 July 2016, the Department announced that the NHS-funded Nursing Care (NHS-FNC) rate was being increased on an interim basis to £156.25 per week for individuals assessed as eligible. This increase was to be backdated to 1 April 2016 for individuals who were in receipt of NHS-FNC at that time.

Dental Services

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Dental Contract Reform: Prototypes pilot in (a) improving the quality of dental care and (b) improving access to dental care.

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to conduct a review of dentistry provision contracts.

David Mowat: The Government is committed to replacing the current National Health Service dental contract with one that better rewards dentists for improving the oral health of their patients in addition to providing treatment where needed.The dental pilots which ran from 2011-16 tested a new way of delivering care focussed on prevention. Based on the learning from that scheme, 79 high street practices are continuing to test the prevention based clinical pathway with the addition of testing a possible new remuneration system.The prototype scheme evaluation is expected during 2017-18. The evaluation will be overseen by an evidence and learning group, which includes clinical and stakeholder representation. If successful the new system could start to be rolled out nationally from 2018-19.

Dental Services: Disadvantaged

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure residents in deprived areas have access to dental care.

David Mowat: NHS England has a legal duty to commission National Health Service dental services to meet the needs of the local population. NHS dental services are commissioned by NHS England through contracts with independent providers. These contracts are set based on the outcome of an oral health needs assessment undertaken in partnership with local authorities, which identifies the level of dental need for a particular community. NHS England is also working up plans to start testing new ways to improve children’s oral health in 10 high needs areas by innovative commissioning, focussed on encouraging take up of services that are available. The 10 high needs areas selected will be announced in November 2016.

European Medicines Agency

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that medicines distributed within the UK on European Medicines Agency licence continue to be distributed once the UK leaves the EU.

David Mowat: The Government is very aware of the need to ensure that medicines already on the United Kingdom market, and which were licensed through the European Medicines Agency’s centralised procedure, remain approved for use across the UK after our exit from the European Union. This is not an issue which needs to form part of any negotiation, but will be within the UK’s own competence.

European Medicines Agency

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many drugs currently prescribed to NHS patients in England and Wales are distributed under a European Medicines Agency licence; what those drugs are; and what therapeutic areas they treat.

David Mowat: Information on medicines granted a marketing authorisation through the European Medicines Agency’s centralised procedure is available in the Community register of medicinal products for human use, which can be found at:http://ec.europa.eu/health/documents/community-register/html/alfregister.htmWhether these medicines are prescribed to National Health Service patients in England is dependent on a number of factors including manufacturers’ marketing decisions, guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, national and local commissioning policies, established clinical practice and individual clinicians’ prescribing decisions.

NHS Litigation Authority

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of contested cases have been successfully defended by the NHS Litigation Authority.

Mr Philip Dunne: In 2015/16 the NHS Litigation Authority took 124 contested cases to trial and won 75 of them, giving a success rate of 60%. Source: http://www.nhsla.com/AboutUs/Documents/NHS_Litigation_Authority_Annual_Report_and_Accounts_2015-2016.pdf

Baby Care Units: Wirral

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) capacity and (b) adequacy of neonatal units in Wirral.

Mr Philip Dunne: No such assessments have been made. The provision of National Health Service neonatal units is a matter for local commissioners. We are advised by NHS England that the North West Neonatal Operational Delivery Network (NWNODN) has reviewed demand and capacity at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The review showed little change in births within Cheshire and Merseyside and no change in the number of births at the Trust, over the last three years. The local NHS is considering the findings of the review to ensure services are delivered in accordance with national standards of care. More information on NMNODN is available at: http://www.neonatalnetwork.co.uk/

General Practitioners: North East

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of GP waiting times in (a) the North East and (b) County Durham.

David Mowat: The information required is not collected centrally. The latest GP Patient Survey for July 2016 on waiting times at general practitioner surgeries was conducted by Ipsos on behalf of NHS England. That survey found that for patients served by the NHS Durham, Dales, Easington and Sedgefield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), 64% feel that they do not normally have to wait too long, whereas 27% feel that they have to wait too long. This compares nationally with 58% and 34% respectively. The full Ipsos MORI GP Patient Survey results for the NHS Durham, Dales, Easington and Sedgefield CCG can be found at: https://gp-patient.co.uk/slidepacks/July2016#N

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to negotiate to continue participation in the European Centre for Disease Control after the UK leaves the EU.

David Mowat: Nothing has yet been decided on whether the United Kingdom will continue participation in the European Centre for Disease Control after leaving the European Union. Officials in both the Department of Health and the Department for Exiting the European Union are considering the position and options available to us with the aim of achieving the best outcome for the UK health system and for the UK as a whole.

Midwives: Training

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the changes outlined in the Reforming Healthcare Education Funding consultation on the take-up of Graduate Entry Midwifery Pre-Registration Programme courses.

Mr Philip Dunne: We expect this reform to enable universities to provide up to 10,000 additional training places to study pre-registration nursing, midwifery and the allied health subjects. The Government response to the consultation acknowledged the risk that if funding was not available to prospective pre-registration postgraduate healthcare applicants, student numbers, and therefore workforce supply, could fall. As a transitional arrangement until a longer term solution can be found the Government set out it will, for the cohort starting in 2017/18 and for a capped number of students, provide a bursary for tuition and maintenance to meet the full costs of the course for postgraduate students, including those on midwifery programmes. There are currently near record numbers of nurses and midwives in post in the National Health Service in England. The latest available figures from June 2016 show a total headcount of 25,832 midwives in post. As at 31 March 2016 there were 6,350 midwives in training of which 471 are on the short 18 month course.

NHS: Sustainable Development

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish the NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans for West Yorkshire.

David Mowat: Local areas will submit their plans to the national health and care bodies for review shortly, with further public engagement and consultation taking place from this point. We expect that most areas will take a version of their Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) to their organisation’s public board meeting for discussion between late October and the end of the year. We would also expect that most areas will publish their plans, for more formal engagement, during this period, building on the engagement they have already done to shape thinking. No changes to the services people currently receive will be made without local engagement and, where required, consultation. Bradford Clinical Commissioning Group has confirmed that an extraordinary meeting of the Bradford and Airedale Health and Wellbeing Board has been arranged in public to discuss the local STP. This will take place on Wednesday 19 October. Papers are yet to be published.

Paracetamol: Prescriptions

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prescriptions for paracetamol were issued in England and Wales in the 2014-15 financial year.

David Mowat: The number of paracetamol prescription items dispensed in the community in England in the last two financial years is provided in the table. This includes for prescriptions written by doctors, dentists, nurses and pharmacists. YearNumber of paracetamol prescription items (000s)2014/1523,326.62015/1622,664.4Source: Prescription Cost Analysis system provided by NHS Digital Prescribing information relating to Wales is a matter for my Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Wales.

Heroin

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, who is responsible for deciding which heroin addicts are provided with heroin in line with his Department's policy set out on page 31 of the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, published by his predecessor in March 2016.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria are used when deciding to give heroin to heroin addicts in line with his Department's policy set out on page 31 of the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, published by his predecessor in March 2016.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when and by whom the decision was taken to give heroin to heroin addicts in line with his Department's policy set out on page 31 of Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, published by his predecessor in March 2016.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, published in March 2016, page 31, whether his Department has sought legal advice on its policies relating to heroin-assisted treatment; and what assessment he has made of the legal implications of those policies.

Nicola Blackwood: The prescribing of injectable opioids, such as methadone or diamorphine (pharmaceutical heroin) as substitutes for illicit heroin, as outlined in the Government’s Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, published in March by the then Home Secretary, has been an option for many years but since the late 1960s, prescribing of diamorphine for the management of addiction has been restricted to licensed addiction specialists.The decision to prescribe injectable diamorphine for the treatment of dependence is a clinical matter, for a clinician to take in conjunction with the patient. Advice to guide these decisions is contained in Chapter 5 and Annex 8 of the 2007 UK Guidelines on the Clinical Management of Drug Misuse and Dependence. The guidelines advise that:- “injectable opioid treatment may be suitable for a small minority of patients who have failed in optimised oral treatment.”;- “clinicians providing injectable opioid treatment should encourage patients not to regard it as a lifelong treatment option and should regularly review their patients and the continuing necessity for this unusual and expensive treatment”; and- The use of diamorphine “alone does not constitute drug treatment…it should be seen as on element or pathway within wider packages of planned and integrated drug treatment”.The guidelines are currently being reviewed by an Expert Working Group, to take into account developments in the evidence base. In July 2016, the Expert Working Group published their draft update for consultation. The consultation has closed and the responses are being considered by the Expert Working Group.Diamorphine is licensed as a medicine by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Clinicians wishing to legally prescribe it for the treatment of dependence need to obtain a licence for that purpose from the Home Office and to comply with all other legislation relevant to the safe management, use and supply of medicines which are controlled drugs.

Heroin

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish a list of the areas in which heroin has been given to heroin addicts in line with his Department's policy set out on page 31 of the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, published by his predecessor in March 2016.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has spent on providing heroin to heroin addicts in line with his Department's policy set out on page 31 of the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, published by his predecessor in March 2016.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much heroin has been given to heroin addicts in line with his Department's policy set out on page 31 of the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, published by his predecessor in March 2016.

Nicola Blackwood: As outlined in the Government’s Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, the use of injectable diamorphine as part of treatment for a small cohort of entrenched, long-term opiate users can be effective. On behalf of the Department, Public Health England managed a pilot programme of supervised injectable diamorphine prescribing at a cost of £2 million per annum. The pilot ran from 2012 to 2015 at: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in Southwark, London; Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Brighton; and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust in Easington, County Durham. Information about expenditure on diamorphine prescribing for the treatment of dependence, sites where it is available outside this pilot, and how much diamorphine has been prescribed to heroin addicts is not collected centrally. The decision to commission and fund the local provision of diamorphine prescribing is for local authorities.

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction after the UK leaves the EU.

David Mowat: The United Kingdom currently participates actively in the work of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Continued participation after the UK leaves the European Union would be a matter for negotiation. The Founding Regulation of the EMCDDA which was recast in 2006 makes provision for the participation of third countries.

Continuing Care: Expenditure

James Cartlidge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent in England on NHS Continuing Healthcare in each of the last five years.

David Mowat: Primary care trusts held statutory responsibilities for NHS Continuing Healthcare until 31 March 2013 and the cost of funding such packages was not captured specifically in their audited accounts. From 2009, the Department collected information on the total cost of NHS Continuing Healthcare packages through a financial information management system1. The annual costs (England total) from that date were as follows: 2011/12 - £2,324,655,000 2012/13 - £2,762,532,000 From 1 April 2013, statutory responsibilities for NHS Continuing Healthcare transferred to clinical commissioning groups and to NHS England. The annual costs from that date (England total) are as follows: 2013/14 – £2,647,176,411 2014/15 – £2,824,041,529 2015/16 - £3,062,102,151 Note:1 This is management information and is not audited for Departmental accounts.

Pharmacy: Opening Hours

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of proposed changes in the level of community pharmacy funding on 100 hour pharmacies.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the total number of supplementary hours worked by pharmacists beyond the hours mandated in the standard NHS contract.

David Mowat: The Government’s proposals for community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond, on which we have consulted, are being considered against the public sector equality duty, the family test and the relevant duties of my Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health under the National Health Service Act 2006. Our assessment considers a range of potential impacts in respect to the adequate provision of NHS pharmaceutical services and access to NHS pharmaceutical services, including supplementary hours and 100 hours per week pharmacies. An impact assessment will be completed to inform final decisions and published in due course. Our aim is to ensure that those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive. We are consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more NHS funds to certain pharmacies compared with others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population. An impact assessment will be completed to inform final decisions and published in due course. Our aim is to ensure that those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive. We are consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more NHS funds to certain pharmacies compared with others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population.

General Practitioners

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that GP surgeries have the (a) resources and (b) training to provide a patient-friendly service, including appointments with a preferred GP in advance and at a time convenient to patients; and what rights patients have if GP surgeries do not meet such standards.

David Mowat: The Government is committed to improving access to general practitioner (GP) services as part of our plan for a seven day National Health Service, and has invested £175 million in the GP Access Fund to test improved and innovative access to GP services. Across the two waves of the Access Fund there are 57 schemes covering over 2,500 practices and 18 million patients, testing a wide variety of approaches that will ensure a patient-friendly services. These include opening 8am-8pm on weekdays and weekends; better use of telecare and health apps; more innovative ways to access services by video call, email or telephone; and developing more integrated services with a single point of contact to co-ordinate patient services.GPs are contractually required to provide essential services to meet the reasonable needs of their patients within core hours. Under the NHS constitution, patients have the right to express a preference for using a particular doctor within their GP practice, and for the practice to try to comply. The 2015-16 (July 2016) GP Patient Survey found that 91% of patients who had a GP they preferred to see them at least some of the time, and 92.1% of patients who got an appointment found it was convenient. If a patient believes they are not receiving this standard of care they have the right to complain; any complaint made must be acknowledged within three working days and be properly investigated.

General Practitioners

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with key health stakeholders on providing guidance for GPs on extending the length of appointment slots and increasing the number of appointments bookable for each GP each day.

David Mowat: General practitioners (GPs) are required to provide essential services to meet the reasonable needs of their patients within core hours. Length of appointment slots and number of bookable appointments is determined by individual GP practices. The Department has not had discussions with key health stakeholders on providing guidance for GPs on these matters.

Heart Diseases

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will take steps to encourage people not to eat too soon before they plan to sleep in order to avoid increased risk of heart attacks.

Nicola Blackwood: Government advice to prevent heart disease is to eat a diet consistent with the Eatwell Guide and in particular choose a diet lower in energy, saturated fat, salt and sugar and higher in fruit, vegetables, oily fish and fibre than current diets, alongside being more active.NHS Choices currently advises people not to eat big meals just before bed to improve sleep. This advice can be found at:http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/insomnia/Pages/insomniatips.aspx

Zika Virus: Disease Control

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent the Zika virus from entering the UK.

Nicola Blackwood: The female mosquitoes responsible for Zika virus transmission are not native to the United Kingdom and it is considered highly unlikely they could survive the current UK climatic conditions long enough to become established. The risk to public health posed by Zika virus is, therefore, very low and no greater than the risks posed by other mosquito-borne infections, such as malaria, for example. Public Health England monitors various insect vectors (in particular, mosquitoes) in the UK through surveillance projects that it runs in collaboration with a range of organisations across the UK. In England, detection of an invasive species considered to pose a threat to the UK would trigger the use of appropriate control measures. In addition, the Government is ensuring UK residents travelling to countries with active Zika transmission are encouraged to take measures to minimise the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, for example through the use of insect repellent. Up-to-date travel advice is in place, and clinical advice is available to UK medical professionals. More information can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/zika-virus-zikv-clinical-and-travel-guidance

General Practitioners

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report by Cancer Research UK on the barriers to people making GP appointments, published in the Public Health Journal in October 2016.

David Mowat: Analysis of the cancer awareness measure found that the most commonly perceived barriers to seeing a general practitioner (GP) were finding it difficult to get an appointment with a particular doctor, or at a convenient time, and disliking having to talk to GP receptionists about symptoms.Catching more cancers early is a priority and this year NHS England is investing an extra £15 million in improving early diagnosis and setting up Cancer Alliances to bring together leadership across local areas to drive improvements.The Government is committed to improving access to GP services as part of our plan for a seven day National Health Service, and has invested £175 million in the GP Access Fund to test improved and innovative access to GP services. The 2015-16 (July 2016) GP Patient Survey found that 92.1% of patients who got an appointment found it was convenient, and 91% of patients who had a GP they preferred to see saw them at least some of the time.The General Practice Forward View, published in April, announced £45 million of extra funding nationally over five years so that every practice in the country can help their reception and clerical staff play a greater role in care navigation, signposting patients and handling clinical paperwork to free up GP time.

Mental Health Services: Finance

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his announcement of 27 September 2016 on extra funding for mental health, what steps he is taking to ensure that funding reaches children who have experienced abuse, neglect or live in poverty.

Nicola Blackwood: On 29 September, NHS England announced that an extra £25 million from nationally-led programmes on children’s mental health would be made available to clinical commissioning groups to support children and young people’s mental health transformation and delivery, with a focus on reducing current waiting times. Access to all National Health Service treatment is determined on the basis of clinical need, not on the basis of personal circumstances or any other non-clinical criteria.

Radiography: Staff

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to enable more radiologists to be trained and approved to carry out breast cancer mammogram imagery.

Mr Philip Dunne: Training and recruitment of the workforce needed to deliver care is a matter for the health department in each of the devolved administrations. In England, Health Education England (HEE) is conducting work to recruit more trainees into Radiology. As part of the investment planning process, Clinical Radiologists have been prioritised with plans to increase training posts by 32 to 1,144 for 2016-17 recruitment. Clinical Radiology has also been one of the five large specialty reviews undertaken by the HEE planning team this year. Recent trends in Clinical Radiology Consultants in the National Health Service:As at 31 March201020112012201320142015Growth 2010-15Whole Time Equivalents2,2472,3262,3902,4722,5312,653406 (18.1%)Source: NHS Digital’s NHS Workforce Statistics - October 2015, Provisional statistics The content and standard of medical training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC), which is an independent statutory body. The GMC has the general function of promoting high standards of education and co-ordinating all stages of education to ensure that medical students and newly qualified doctors are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for professional practice.

Air Pollution: Health Hazards

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of particle pollutants on children's health and development in the UK.

Nicola Blackwood: The independent expert advisory Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) published a statement on the evidence linking air pollution to effects on children’s health in 2008. This acknowledged the conclusions of a report by the World Health Organization (2005) of effects on children’s health, including development of lung function, but also noted that the evidence for some effects was from areas where levels of air pollutants were higher than those found in the United Kingdom.In 2010 COMEAP published a statement on the evidence linking air pollution with childhood asthma. The evidence confirmed that exposure to ambient concentrations of air pollutants is associated with an increase in exacerbations of asthma in those who already have the condition. The evidence for air pollution causing new cases of asthma is less clear. However, COMEAP concluded that it is possible that air pollution plays a part in the induction of asthma in some individuals who live near busy roads, particularly roads carrying high numbers of heavy goods vehicles.

Pharmacy: Finance

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the potential effect of proposed changes to pharmacy funding on the ability of local authorities to deliver local public health improvement.

David Mowat: Local commissioning and the funding of public health services by local authorities from community pharmacies will be unaffected by these proposals.We want to see a high quality community pharmacy service that is properly integrated into primary care and public health in line with the Five Year Forward View.Our proposals are about improving services for patients and the public and securing efficiencies and savings. We believe these efficiencies can be made within community pharmacy without compromising the quality of services or public access to them.Our aim is to ensure that those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive. We are consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more National Health Service funds to certain pharmacies compared with others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population.In addition we are providing funding to recruit a further 1,500 pharmacists to general practices by 2020.

Pregnancy: Alcoholic Drinks

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pregnant women in (a) Liverpool Wavertree constituency, (b) Liverpool, (c) the Liverpool City Region and (d) England received treatment from alcohol services in each year since 2010.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pregnant women received treatment from alcohol services in each region of England in each year since 2010.

Nicola Blackwood: The data is not published in the requested format.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of training for midwives on foetal alcohol syndrome.

Mr Philip Dunne: The new United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ (CMO) low risk drinking guidelines provide the public with the most up to date scientific information to help people make informed decisions about their own drinking. The guideline for women who are pregnant or think they could become pregnant, is that the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all, to reduce risks to the baby to a minimum. The Government has mandated Health Education England (HEE) to provide national leadership on education, training and workforce development in the National Health Service. In the Mandate from the Government to HEE for the period from April 2013 to March 2015 the Government stated that HEE should work with NHS England and others to ensure that sufficient midwives and other maternity staff are trained and available to provide every woman with personalised one-to-one care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and during the postnatal period. HEE led, completed and published the findings of the Personalised Maternity Care Project, which made recommendations on how women who have mental health or substance misuse support requirements will receive appropriate support from specialised trained midwives. The Personalised Maternity Care Project findings are available at: https://hee.nhs.uk/our-work/developing-our-workforce/nursing/personalised-maternity-care-stakeholder-event-findings

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the cost to the NHS of (a) foetal alcohol syndrome and (b) foetal alcohol syndrome disorders.

Nicola Blackwood: The Department has made no estimate of costs to the National Health Service for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).The diagnosis for babies born with FAS may not be made easily at birth, and problems may present only later in childhood, for example at school. Estimates for the incidence of FASD are still more uncertain and relate to the lack of consensus on diagnostic criteria for these conditions.

Stem Cells: Medical Treatments

Colleen Fletcher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the number of patients who have been denied a second allogeneic stem cell transplant following an individual funding request in each of the last three years; and what estimate his Department has made of the associated cost saving to the health service.

Nicola Blackwood: The total number of Individual Funding Requests for a second allogenic stem cell transplant that were declined during the calendar years 2013, 2014 and 2015 is below NHS England’s threshold for releasing individual data, as fewer than 10 individual funding requests were declined. Due to the complexity of such treatments, and any alternatives used, it is not possible to assess any associated cost impact to the National Health Service.

Health Services

Colleen Fletcher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to review the outcomes of NHS England's clinical policy prioritisation process for specialised services; and if he will make a statement.

David Mowat: The Clinical Priorities Advisory Group assesses drugs, medical devices and treatments according to their clinical effectiveness benefit for patients and value for money. When doing this it follows the published procedure which was subject to recent public consultation. This can be found at the following address:https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/consultation/investment-decisions/supporting_documents/consultationguide.pdfNHS England has given a commitment to review the learning from the 2016/17 process to inform future years.

Childbirth

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2016 to Question 46088, on childbirth: roads, if his Department will collect information on the number of babies born by the side of the road in England in each of the last six years.

Mr Philip Dunne: We have no plans to ask NHS Digital to collect such information.

Musculoskeletal disorders: Greenwich

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to local NHS consortium formed of Lewisham and Greenwich Healthcare Trust, Local Care Networks and Oxleas Trust was of preparing their unsuccessful tender for the contract to provide musculoskeletal services in Greenwich; and if he will assess the effect of such spending on resources available for services to patients; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The information requested is not centrally held and is a matter for the local National Health Service consortium which submitted the tender in question.

Circle Holdings: Greenwich

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the implications are for patients who remain on the waiting list for orthopaedic surgery on 1 December 2016 of Circle Holdings PLC being awarded the contract for musculoskeletal services in Greenwich; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: We are advised by NHS England that patients already on the waiting list for orthopaedic surgery will continue on their pathway as planned as at 1 December 2016. We are further advised by NHS England that Circle Health as the prime provider will liaise with the providers in question to change the pathway or expedite admission where clinical need arises.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS prescription charge penalty charge notices were issued in the last year for which figures are available; and how much was recovered in (a) prescription income and (b) penalty charges and surcharges in the last year for which information is available.

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many proceedings for debt recovery the NHS has issued in the county court for NHS prescription charges and penalties in the last year for which information is available; how many such proceedings resulted in recovery of the outstanding money.

David Mowat: The number of National Health Service prescription charge penalty charge notices issued between September 2015 and August 2016, which is the most recent 12-month period for which we have complete data, was 780,953. Where no response was received to the initial penalty charge notice a follow up surcharge letter was issued to the patient. For the same period a total of 333,508 surcharge letters were issued.The value of the recovered prescription income in this period was £2,556,941, and the value of the income from penalty charges and surcharges was £8,678,911 and £745,830, respectively.Since taking over the administration of the Prescription Exemption Checking Service in September 2014, the NHS Business Services Authority has not issued any court proceedings for debt recovery in relation to NHS prescription charges and penalties.

Circle Holdings: Greenwich

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group on the capacity of local health providers meeting the Getting it Right First Time requirements in Greenwich since the contract to provide musculoskeletal services was awarded to Circle Holdings PLC; and if he will make a statement.

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group since the award of the contract to provide musculoskeletal services to Circle Holdings PLC on the Sustainability and Transformation Plans for elective orthopaedic surgery in Greenwich; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The provision of local health services is a matter for the local National Health Service. There have been no meetings between Ministers at the Department of Health and Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) about the award of the contract to provide musculoskeletal services to Circle Holdings PLC regarding the Sustainability and Transformation Plans for elective orthopaedic surgery in Greenwich. Neither have there been meetings between Ministers at the Department and Greenwich CCG regarding the capacity of local health providers meeting the Getting it Right First Time requirements in Greenwich since the contract to provide musculoskeletal services was awarded to Circle Holdings PLC.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Finance

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on the financial deficit of that Trust.

Mr Philip Dunne: Department of Health ministers have had no recent meetings or discussions with representatives from Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust regarding its financial deficit over the last six months. On 17 October 2016 NHS Improvement announced Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has entered Financial Special Measures. The Financial Special Measures programme launched by NHS Improvement provides a rapid turnaround package for trusts and foundation trusts which have either not agreed savings targets (also known as control totals) with local commissioners, or planned to make savings but deviated significantly from this plan. As part of financial special measures, each trust agrees a recovery plan with NHS Improvement. The trusts also get support from – and are held accountable by – a Financial Improvement Director appointed by NHS Improvement.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Health Services

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department makes available for young people diagnosed with Crohn's disease.

David Mowat: Crohn’s Disease Management in Adults, Children and Young People, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in October 2012, sets out best practice guidance for clinicians and commissioners in the diagnosis, treatment care and support of patients with Crohn’s disease. The guidance includes a number of specific recommendations concerning young people such as the need to offer age-appropriate multidisciplinary support to deal with any concerns about the disease and its treatment, including concerns about body image, living with a chronic illness, and attending school and higher education.

Continuing Care: Devolution

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Ministers in the devolved administrations on fully funded NHS Continuing Healthcare.

David Mowat: My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not had discussions with Ministers in the devolved administrations on fully funded NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Circle Holdings: Greenwich

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of decisions taken by Circle Holdings PLC in the delivery of musculoskeletal services in Greenwich on the financial capacity of the local healthcare trust to sustain accident and emergency services at University Hospital Lewisham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Woolwich; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The procurement of local health services by means of competitive tendering is a matter for the local National Health Service. We are advised by NHS England that Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group’s Turnaround Director and Musculoskeletal (MSK) Programme Manager met the senior management team of Lewisham and Greenwich Healthcare Trust in March 2016. We understand that the implications of the MSK service procurement were discussed in detail, and that there were no concerns with regard to the viability of any other services the Trust provides. We are further advised by NHS England that it undertook an assurance of the procurement process for the MSK service in Greenwich in August 2016 and as part of this also met with the Trust to discuss the implications of the procurement for the trust.We understand that Circle Health has been engaging with Lewisham and Greenwich Healthcare Trust as part of the mobilisation process, including developing clinical and operational delivery plans to provide integrated services.

Prisoners: Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the prison population affected by (a) foetal alcohol syndrome and (b) foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Nicola Blackwood: This information is not held centrally.

Organs: Donors

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to increase the number of organ donors.

Nicola Blackwood: We are supporting a number of initiatives to raise awareness and to encourage more people to consent to organ donation. Donation and transplant rates have increased steadily since 2007/08 and 2015/16 saw the highest ever deceased donor rate in the United Kingdom with 1,364 deceased donors resulting in 3,529 transplants.We continue to encourage people to support donation by adding their name to the organ donor register, to tell their family they want to be a donor and by ensuring that we continue to strengthen the donation programme to identify all potential donors and optimise transplantation.NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) launched a new UK–wide organ donation and transplantation strategy in July 2013. Taking Organ Transplantation to 2020 identifies the action being taken to increase organ donation and transplantation rates to match world class standards over the next few years.In July 2015 we launched a modern Organ Donation Register (ODR) system which enables people to make their wishes about donation much clearer and also links with social media and donation partners to make registration easier. NHSBT works collaboratively with a number of partners in the private, public and third sectors to promote organ donation, such as the Boots Advantage Card. People can also add their name to the ODR via Government owned channels such as applying for a driving licence and paying car tax online.National Organ Donation Week in September focused on encouraging people to start a conversation about organ donation - with their families, friends or colleagues – to make sure those closest to them know they want to be a donor. There are also a number of specific initiatives to raise awareness in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities to become donors. Less than 5% of deceased organ donors are BAME, yet patients from BAME communities represent around a quarter of people waiting for a transplant.

European Medicines Agency

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on the implications of possible relocation of the European Medicines Agency outside the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

David Mowat: The Government is undertaking work to understand in full the implications of withdrawing from the European Union including on public health. There have not yet been any discussions about the future location of the European Medicines Agency with my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU.

NHS: EU Nationals

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many foreign-born EU nationals are employed in the NHS in (a) the UK, (b) England and (c) London both in gross terms and as a proportion of the total NHS workforce.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS Digital publishes data on the nationality of staff working in the National Health Service in England. This is a self-reported field within the NHS human resources and payroll system, the electronic staff record (ESR). The nationality information entered by an individual employee onto ESR may reflect their cultural heritage rather than their country of birth. As such, these figures should be treated with caution. Data is not available for the United Kingdom. NHS Workforce in trusts, clinical commissioning groups, support organisations and central bodies as at 30 June 2016  HeadcountFull-time equivalentEngland1,201,2361,059,577Of which European Union nationals59,76955,787Proportion (England)5.0%5.3%London185,633171,607Of which EU nationals19,26618,263Proportion (London)10.4%10.6% Source: NHS Digital

Clinical Commissioning Groups: Northamptonshire

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Prime Minister of 12 October 2016,  Official Report, column 300, when he expects the relative per capita underfunding for (a) Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and (b) Corby CCG against the national picture to have been corrected.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS England is responsible for making decisions on how to distribute available resources between commissioning organisations.We are advised by NHS England that it is working to move clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) towards their target fair share of funding, but has to take a finely balanced decision between making quick progress on pace of change, and at the same time maintaining stability in the system.We understand that NHS England has targeted those CCGs that were more than 5% above or below their target funding. Nene and Corby CCGs have therefore received a cash increase of 5.21% and 9.4% respectively in 2016/17, compared to 2015/16 – above the England average in terms of overall CCG growth, and bringing them both within 5% of their target allocation.Allocations over the next few years will continue to move the CCGs closer towards their funding target.

Clinical Commissioning Groups: Northamptonshire

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Prime Minister of 12 October 2016, Official Report, column 300, if he will set out the annual funding for (a) Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and (b) Corby CCG in each of the last five years and for each future year where forecasts of funding have been made.

Mr Philip Dunne: Information is not available in the format requested. Information from NHS England on clinical commissioning group (CCG) allocations for Nene CCG and Corby CCG, since 2013/14 (when CCGs came in to existence), and indicative allocations until 2020/21, is shown in the following table.  Corby CCG £'000Nene CCG £'0002013/1473,851636,4962014/1578,013663,3762015/1684,009709,1772016/1793,236757,8792017/1896,178777,1092018/1999,674796,4602019/20103,394816,4912020/21108,771851,131

Childbirth

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to reduce the number of babies born in the back of an ambulance in England.

Mr Philip Dunne: Better Births, the National Maternity Review, sets out our vision for maternity services across England to become safer, more personalised, kinder, professional and more family friendly; where every woman has access to information to enable her to make decisions about her care; and where she and her baby can access support that is centred around their individual needs and circumstances. The National Maternity Transformation Programme, which seeks to advance the vision set out in Better Births, aims to ensure professionals work together across organisational boundaries to provide access to the right care in the right place at the right time within local maternity systems. This will include work that will help to personalise women’s care and reduce unplanned events during pregnancy and labour.

Pharmacy: Disadvantaged

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of pharmacies located in pharmacy clusters are within each decile of deprivation in the English indices of deprivation for 2015.

David Mowat: We will be publishing an impact assessment in due course.

Cancer: Medical Treatments

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure improvement in cancer treatment in those areas identified in the Macmillan Cancer Support survey, published in October 2016, as requiring such improvement.

David Mowat: The independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes: A strategy for England 2015-2020, in July 2015 and its implementation plan in May 2016 to represent the consensus views of the whole cancer community.The Government has accepted all 96 recommendations in the strategy, which will address the concerns raised in Macmillan Cancer Support’s survey around funding, prevention, diagnostics, workforce and support after treatment when implemented. Implementation is being led by NHS England’s National Cancer Transformation Board, which will publish its first annual progress report shortly.In line with the recommendations to improve prevention, the Government has published a national childhood obesity strategy and new low risk drinking guidelines. We have also announced funding of up to £300 million a year by 2020 to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the new target that patients will be given a definitive cancer diagnosis, or the all clear, within 28 days of being referred by a general practitioner.To meet the workforce challenges of the future, Health Education England (HEE), supported by Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support, has been leading on the independent Cancer Taskforce recommendation that it should develop a vision for the future shape and skills mix of the workforce required to deliver a modern, holistic patient-centred cancer service. HEE has completed an initial cancer workforce baseline review that has been shared and discussed with key stakeholders.In September 2015, we also announced that by 2020, the 280,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year will benefit from a tailored recovery package. The packages will be individually designed to help each person live well beyond cancer. In April 2016, we published guidance for commissioners on commissioning and implementing the recovery package effectively.

NHS: Finance

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total financial deficit for the NHS in England was at the end of June 2016.

Mr Philip Dunne: The National Health Service consists of providers (NHS trusts and foundation trusts), NHS England and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). The provider sector reported a year-to-date deficit of £461 million at Q1 2016/17, £5 million ahead of plan. The reported sector position represented an improvement compared to the same period last year, which saw an aggregate sector deficit of £930 million. The link below gives NHS Improvement Quarterly performance of the provider sector as at 30 June 2016: https://improvement.nhs.uk/uploads/documents/Q1_201617_provider_sector_performance_report_-_FINAL25082016.pdf NHS England reported a year-to-date deficit of £24 million at Q1 2016-17. Details can be found via the link below to the NHS England Board Report as at 30 June 2016: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/item8-28-07-16.pdf The CCGs reported a year-to-date deficit of £57.4 million at Q1 2016-17. Details of the individual CCG surplus/deficits can be found via the link below to the CCG Financial Performance Report as at 30 June 2016: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/fin-info-1st-qrt-16-17-v2.pdf

Pharmacy

Mims Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pharmacies are now clustered.

David Mowat: We know that 40% of pharmacies are in clusters of three or more meaning that two-fifths of pharmacies are within 10 minutes’ walk of two or more other pharmacies.But we also know that in many places there are far more than this. For example, on Loughborough Road in Leicester there are 12 pharmacies, all within 10 minutes’ walk of each other. Similarly on Clodeshall Road in Birmingham, there are 11 pharmacies within 10 minutes’ walk. There are many more examples of clusters of pharmacies throughout England, with one cluster in London of 18 pharmacies within 10 minutes of each other. The median average pharmacy currently receives £220,000 per year in National Health Service funding. This includes a fixed payment of £25,000 per year for almost all pharmacies, regardless of their size or quality. This represents an inefficient allocation of NHS funds.

General Practitioners: Attendance

Mr Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the cost to the NHS of missed GP appointments in each of the last five years.

David Mowat: Information on the number and cost of missed general practice appointments in England is not held centrally.

Women and Equalities

Managers: Equal Pay

Martyn Day: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the Answer of 14 April 2016 to Question 904452, what assessment she has made of the merits of the Government's forthcoming legislation to tackle the disparity between the number of men and women in senior and higher paying management roles.

Caroline Dinenage: This Government is introducing ground breaking gender pay transparency for larger employers. Employers will report on four measures including the proportions of men and women working across their pay distribution. This means identifying where men and women are in the organisational pay hierarchy, and motivating employers to address any issues that limit women’s progression. Since we announced the introduction of gender pay gap reporting, it is encouraging that over one third of the large employers are now responding to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development poll, which has already begun to prepare for the forthcoming annual reporting by starting to run some analysis now. We will be providing a package of support to employers to help them implement the gender pay reporting regulations. We have already published a ‘Trailblazing Transparency’ best practice report on gov.uk earlier this year and provided guidance on what sort of supporting analysis an employer could do as part of our ‘Think, Act, Report’ framework. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/think-act-report Gender pay gap legislation is part of a range of wider action we are taking on women’s progression. That is why the Government appointed Sir Philip Hampton and Dame Helen Alexander to lead an independent review, which is focusing on the representation of women in the most senior executive layers of the FTSE 350, as well as championing the increased target for 33% women on FTSE 350 boards by 2020.

Government Equalities Office: Staff

John Pugh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of the Government Equalities Office.

John Pugh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what proportion of staff on the payroll of the Government Equalities Office who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

Caroline Dinenage: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose. More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. However, there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.